What Just Happened?
by ZmbMadragon
Summary: A blacksmith comes to the land of Equestria. This blacksmith however, knows things, and finds himself in a bit of a pickle. Why? WHY! He cannot utter profanities, and it is driving him mad! Well, lets see how he handles himself in the land of ponies and magic. Rated M due to descriptive gore. (Rewritten under the name Battlesmith in Equestria. Why?)
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Prologue**

Pain. Agony. The first and last things that I remember.

I cannot describe the experience properly given the cicumstances; but lets see how I fare...

Huh. Talk about your cliche "origin story" openings. Maybe I should give myself a superhero name now, and get it over with? Or will it be one of THOSE spy movies? Am I Jason Bourne in this scenario? Nah. That would be too much. Or too little? I would like to have some cheat ability of some sort... Preferable a USEFUL one. No I'm being serious here. I want some Superman powers god darnnit!

Ahem. Sorry what was I saying? Superheroes? Spies? Cliche? Pain? OH why is it so painfull?! FUDGE!CAKES!

WHY can't I swear?! F.. FU... FUDGE! WHYYYY!? Crap. Wait? YESS! I can say CRAP! I will abuse this profanity for all it's worth!

OK. Lets calm down shall we?

Yes, lets. We good?

So much pain right now. Right. Yes . Pain and agony, yes. Where was I before that became the defining moment of my life?

OOOH. Right, yes; back when I didn't have four legs and a tail.


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

It all begins when I open my eyes.

I blink blearily, and stare at an all too familiar sight. A ceiling. My ceiling. Primary color, white. Why is it white? It could be a more comforting color you know? Like... like a sky blue or even a warm sunny yellow color perhaps. White? It's is such a bland sort of color in my opinion, but it's still something to wake up to.

I then lazily turn my head to look at the nearby chest of drawers; upon which rests my alarm clock. This clock clearly shows that it is only six o'clock. In the morning. I cannot help but heave a sad sigh, as I now face an ever present, earthly dilema. Getting out of bed. A warm, comfy, cosy, snug little piece of heavenly warmth. Anyone out there who loves to wake up in the morning, and likes leaving that little patch of heaven is an outright liar. And not someone, one should be in the comapny of. Nevertheless, I still have my workload to complete today.

And so, I (with a great deal of effort) finally rise from the bed.

I cannot help but give a heavy sigh, as the cool air of my bedroom begins its work on my once warm body. I shiver and rub my arms as goosebumps make their presence felt all over my body. I then grab some clean clothes and head for the bathroom for a warm shower.

After doing this, I then head down for some breakfast.

"This is going to be a long day." I sighed after remembering the long list of orders made this past week.

"Allright, breakfast first. Then it's time to get started."

With this thought, I prepare some cereal with some tea. Nothing fancy, just something to help start the day. Whilst I'm eating, I take a look at the list that now lies before me. Nails, tools, hinges, farm equipment, armor, weapons... Well, atleast the pay is good. Still though, I would like a bit more time to myself. It's not to much to ask for is it? Two days off work perhaps? Just enough to keep my fresh and ready for the following work days.

A quick look at the clock, and I get up to prepare the forge for todays workload. After stoking the fire to the correct temperature, I begin work on the armor and weapons. This order will take three to four hours tops due to how simple it is. Well, MY definition of simple anyway. You see, most blacksmiths would have taken three or four DAYS to complete it. But, ever since I first took up the hammer and tongs, I noticed that I had a particular talent for blacksmithing.

Why do I need to make armor and weapons you may ask. Well, it is not because I am outfiting museums, battle reenactors, weapon collectors or for them to be movie props. No. It is because despite being in the age tanks, planes, nuclear bombs and space travel (to a degree). We have to deal with monsters. Yes, Monsters. You know the type. Goblins, Ogres and Orcs oh my! Yeah, we have had to deal with them for more than ten thousand years. But despite our technological advances with regards to modern firearms, like machineguns, tanks and fighter jets, we still fall back on classics like swords and armor, and a more recent discovery. Magic.

You see, magic was discovered about two hundered years ago by someone who called himself, (and I kid you not here), Merlin. Yes you heard me. Merlin. That magic man from the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Yeah, after his apperance, he decided that the world needed magic in order to even the playing field. This led to an age of advancement for us, where we did't have to worry all the time about when the next monster surge was going to happen.

On the subject of magic; ever since its' first apperance, it has become rather prolific. What I mean is that more and more people were born with the talent to use magic. So much so infact, they had to revamp the schools curriculum so as to teach this new subjest. Eventually they had to create a leveling system for magic, from primary school level upto University level. This leveling system allows the students to utalize magic at a sensible level, so that it doesn't disturb the public peace. But if they so desire it, they can go to specializd Magic Academies so that they can put their talent to a more practical uses. Like as doctors, teachers, builders, innovators or even combatants.

I had attended one such academy, and took the magic I had learned and applied it to the art of blacksmithing. This does not leave me as a one trick pony mind you, beacuse I had to often travel to dangerous locations to get the best materials for my work. Hell I even had to hunt for dangerous beasts to get a number of the more exotic materials I would inevitably need. From bones, skin and teeth, all the way to diamonds, wood and obsidian. Nothing was beyond my reach back in those days, for I had hunted everything. From the lowest ranked goblin all the way to the highest ranked dragons. It was fun back then, but now I find my blacksmithing has taken over, (not that I dislike it), and I am forced to employ other people to do my hunting for me. And, more often than not they would bring back inferior materials that I would inevitably use. Why? I'm not about to waste any material that come into my possession without good reason.

*Timeskip*

"That's the last of it." I sigh in contentment.

The armor and weapons alongside various tools for the nearby farming village, and the military garrison. Seeing my work done for the day, I put down my tools and leave the furnace to die down . Should take two or three hours for it to die down, but my mind is now on other matters. Like, for example how will I entertain myself this evening? Well, I know just what to do. Watch the last two episodes of My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic season six. I would never of watched this show had my friends not pestered me for two straight months, expressing their own love for the show. So, in the end, I caved into their request to give it a chance. I've been watching it ever since and never miss a show.

*One hour and a half later*

Not a bad ending. I rather enjoyed it myself, but lets see how other fans of the show thought of it. I stand up and turn around, but my eyesight lingers on a wall mounted cabinet. This cabinet is made from a piece of European Dogwood, that I had harvested some ten years ago. Rock hard and bone dry, this stuff even sinks in water! Wood that SINKS in water! Insane right? Ahem, I made the entire cabinet from a fair bit of it that I had harvested, but also added a glass window so that I could look upon the contents. A great double headed warhammer. An old friend of mine from my adventurous youth. This weapon has been at my side ever since I forged it. And it has been my friend through many dangers.

I stare upon my hammer with a great sense of nostalgia, and longing. Before I realise it, the cabinet is opened and it is now resting in my hands. The haft sits comfortably in the palm of my hands, moulded to fit my hands from day one. Made from Dragon Bone mixed with a Pure Crysatalised Heartstone Diamond blended with Earthheart Steel Titanium. My finest work if I may be so bold. With all that, this wieghts near fifty pounds. Getting hit by this will seriously mess up your day. Trust me, I have seen what this thing can do. It is NOT pretty. And I have hid it for a little over fifty years now. Huh. Fifty years. Thats a long time now that i think about it.

Now, I will be the first to admit it but, I have terrible naming sense. But I will never know this hammer by any other. Other than the one that I gave it after it's forging. "Sternguard." I sigh in remembrance. Terrible I know, but still, this weapon; as I stated before, has been at my side from the practically, the start of my career. Even now It is still with me. I heft Sternguard a few times, and swing it back and forth in remembrance of the fights I had.

"Well... time to put you back to your rest." I sigh sadly.

Gently I place Sternguard back in the cabinet, and close the glass door. The final resting place of my adventuring career. A wooden cabinet. Well this got depressing rather quickly didn't it? Lets move along before the gloomy atmoshphere overwhelms us all. Really, just dinner,a shower and then it is off to bed. Really, what a fun filled evening. Yeah right!

*Late at night*

I awaken to the sound of an animalistic bellow. It's close. DAMN close! Like OUTSIDE my HOUSE close! I tear myself from the bed and rush to the window, and wrench the curtains to the side. I blink. I blink again. And I blink some more. Can you blame me? There just so happens to be a dragon storming towards me house. I think I am justified for the excessive blinking. Slowly though,I feel a grin forming on my face; one filled with exitment.

"Finally." I call softly.

"New materials." My grin could give the grinch a run for his money.

I turn and grab some clothes for decencies sake, and storm down the stairs towards my weapon. Deciding that time is against me, I ram my elbow into the glass door so I can retrieve Sterguard. Hammer in hand, I then run to the nearest window and leap through it. The glass scatters around me as I land, and run full pelt towards the materials that are (quite happily I might add) charging towards me. The dragon Roars its challenge. Drawing air deeply into my lungs I Bellow my own challenge.

Time seems to slow down as the distance between us closes. In my mind, so many cool and utterly badass one-liners fly through my mind. But due to the time dilation I find myself with a fair bit of it to find a suitable one for this occasion. One springs to mind, one I feel to be rather appropriate considering the situation. I drew breathe, fully prepared for the one-liner crawling up my throat, from the depths of my scrotum.

Fate however has a rather... peculair sense of humor to say the least, not only that, but he was most certainly in cahoots with a certain Lady. One whose name cannot be uttered, lest she desert you. I say it like this because, right now, I need her NOW more than ever. Why you may ask? Well, I was a complete and utter fool for ignoring the most 'in your face' hint ever devised in the history of Bloody Blatant Hints. Time dilations. That and the obvious fact that some sort of magical portal is opening up between us.

"..." I deadpanned to myself, as that awesome one-liner (for lack of a better description) shrivels up inside my throat in the face of this reality shattering sight.

The forward momentum of both myself and the dragon is undeniable. And in the last few moments of what I assume to be my life, I cannot help but utter one word that jumps the queue and proceds to batter its way up my throat and onto my tounge

"...Bugger..." I say in a rather pathetic tone of voice. I mean really? What else can one say in this situation? Oh I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who could think to something "awe-inspiring" for the history books. But with me thats what you get. Now it's time to enjoy the ride of a lifetime. So, I close my eyes and then...

...

...

...

...

Pain. Agony. The first and last things that I remember.

I cannot describe the experience properly given the cicumstances; but lets see how I fare... wait. I already said this didn't I?

First off came great heat; the type of heat that originates from a dragons mouth. It sears me from the right hand side of my face, all the down to the right side of my body and back. Ending just below the hips. This causes every muscle in my body to clech at the level of pain I feel. The only possible way to explain this is...? Well? It is the same type of pain one feels after getting tasered. Uugh. An all over body cramp, where you have practically no control over your body. Next, comes the dragons claws. They power towards my unmoving body at great speed. A speed which, under normal circumstances, I would have been able to avoid without too much effort. The strike makes contact with the left side of my hip, and carves upwards and across my chest finally ending at my right shoulder.

This was not a very pleasant experience to say the only am I now in some sort of magical vortex whose sole purpose is (to my understanding) making my life a bloody mess right now. And it's succeeding. After my brain gives my consciousness a sharp kick up its backside, finally bringing me back to the present. It then proceeds to slap my muscles and nerves back into sensibility. And only THEN does it kickstart an idea. This idea then proceeds to make its rounds through various mental commities, and make its way to the Main Cortex to be passed. This Idead passed unanimously as a bill of vengance. (And would you believe that this all happened in less than a hundredth of a second?) There is only one thin left to say at this point.

"I will skin you alive, rip out your bones, tear out your organs and turn you into FU... into FFFFF... FFFFFFFFF... MINCEMEAT!"

...

...

What just happened?


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 2.**

What just happened? I thought in confusion. That thought held for but a moment; one that almost cost me dearly. The dragon had the upper haaaa...? Haaa.., HAAAANNN...! WHAT!? THE!? HEE...!? HEEHHEEE...!? HECK! The dragon takes advantage of the lapse in concentration, to land a heavy blow across my side. Pain flares for a second before dimming down to a soft throb. I grit my teeth, put power into my legs and charge forward to deliver pain in kind.

I shift my haa... my haa haaaa...? My grip, halfway up the haft and grip tightly, ready to stike. The dragon foolishly lunges forward with its muzzle wide open, in an attempt to swallow me whole. A smirk makes its' way to my face as a duck easily under such a telegraphed move. I trail the hammer behind me, as I loosen my grip on the hammer. My body turns ninety degrees to the right, as I grip the bottom of the hammers haft. First my hips rotate to the left followed by my torso, then my shoulders and lastly my arrrrr... My aaraarrrrr... My hammer rises up to meet the dragons chin. The hammer strikes with all the power of a meteor stiking the earth.

The noise... how does one describe it? Well... picture four hundred tonnes of meat in a hole in the ground. With me so far? OK. Now picture a flat ten tonne metal slab. Right? Then dangle that metal slbe some ten meters above the meat, then drop it. It sort of sounds like that for lack of a better description. The dragons head... exploded.

"Wha...?" I cannot help but utter in absolute bewilderment.

"I know that I am strong and all, but this level of strength is beyond me." I say to the world at large.

I don't know what the he... what the heeee... Heck happened here. One minute the dragons head was in one piece above me and now? Well, suffice to say you could scrape together what was left and put it into a bucket. And do you know whats worse? I cannot even scavenge any materials from it! For fu... FFFFUUUUU...! FOR THE LOVE OF PETE! I thought in anger. What was I thinking? Materials are more important? Well, what about my GOD given right to color the air blue with swear words! Why can't I swear right now!? Someoooooo...? Someeee...?

"Oh, come on! I cannot even say Someeee...!"

"Really? I cannot say it?"

"Allright, fine. What CAN I say?" I say exasperation.

"Try saying somePONY instead." A voice replyed in a calm helpful manner.

I blink. I blink again. I then begin slowly turning me head to lokk to my left, then my right. Then I look up, then down and then face forward. I didn't bother looking behind me, because that is where they almost always appear.

"Please, look behind you." The voice said. "I know full well that YOU know, that I am standing right behind you." A slight reproachful tone to the voice this time.

"Sorry. It's that sort of voice that one associaties with a disembodied being." I replied in apology.

"It's allright, no harm done." Replied the voic.

"... Before I turn aroud though, do you mind if I ask a question?" I asked.

"You just did" Replied the voice, a slightly mirthful tone was hidden in there I think.

"Another one then."

A small chuckle eminates from behind me. "Very well then. Ask away." The voice replied in a jovial manner.

"Thank you. Well... did you say 'Somepony' just a short while ago?" I enquired.

"Yes" said the voice.

"SomePONY?" I aksed again.

"Yes, and before you ask again I did say PONY. I will fully explain after you turn around. OK?" The voice said.

"... ok." I say in a small voice.

I gather my courage while I draw a deep breathe . I then close my eyes and turn on my heels, and with another deep calming breathe, I open my eyes to gaze upon the owner of the voice.

What I see is... Well... What can I say to this? It's... it's... It's an Orc. An Orc. An ORC! What. The. Actual. Fu... I cannot even think about swearing. God daaaa... Uuuggh, gosh darnit.

Anyway, back to the big, pink proverbial eelephant in the room. Or in this case, ORC in the room.

I will not deny that I do feel attracted to this Orc, because, well, this Orc is Beautiful. And female. I want that part emphasized. SHE, the Orc, is female. I am looking at her right now and can honestly say that I AM feeling attracted to her. Her skin a healthy dark green, almost black in smoe areas, but this serves to enhance her own muscle tone and figure. Her figure for that matter is akin to an hourglass. Her bust size... I'd hazard at calling it a C-cup. A _very_ healthy C-cup. I gulp. What? I'm a man, I still have my base desires. Shut up. _Ahem_. Her face is, gentle looking, not one you would look to find on an Orc. But, there is a slight feeling that she gives off. As though she can become feral at the drop of a hat. Her protruding fangs, are not overly long or large, maybe and inch or two in length. Lips looking full and kissable... OK... Next her hair; it is dark, almost raven like in color. It flows gently down her back in a loose ponytail, ending just below her hips. And her eyes. Oh god above her eyes! A deep chestnut brown color that seems near bottomless, holding a power that exudes a feeling of peace and harmony, yet also a primal almost feral strength in their depths.

"Are you finished undressing me with your eyes yet?" She askes in amusement.

"!" I thought blankly in shock. However it doesn't stop my face from turning red from embarrassment.

"Sorry! Sorry! I was just...! I mean..! You...! You're just... beutiful." I spoke in panic to begin with but end in a lame manner. Cut me some slack here peee... peeoopp... Uugh. Guys. Who wouldn't be a stuttering mess, when faced with the physical embodyment of beauty.

"It's allright. I get this reaction a lot from humans." she says while chuckling.

"Now, onto why I brought you here." She suddenly turns serious.

Now I am getting nervous.

God like beings only do this sort of thing when the are either mad, or in dire straights. And are often in need of something to vent their frustration on, or are in need of a champion respectively.

"As you know, there are many species living in this world of yours." She starts. "But here are many others out there." Yeah. Of course. The multiverse theory. Big 'surprise' that one.

"Are you listening to me?" She enquire with a tone demaning a good answer.

"You're talking about the multiverse theory, right?" I ask.

"Yes, I am. There are many different worlds out there, each of which with their own groups of people and gods." She replied. "Now, I brought you here to ask you on behalf of the Divine Panthion, to help us."

"..." I reply.

"..." She waits.

"..." She waits some more.

"...What?" I cannot help but reply in a small voice.

"I am asking you to help, not just me, but all the gods. Including yours." She states cleary, in case I didn't understand her.

"Why me? I'm nothing special. I'm Just your run of the mill blacksmith. If you want someone to help you, you could have chosen my worlds geatest warrior type, mage type, or rogue type combatant to be your champion." I paused for a second to think. "Or _ANY_ worlds greastest to be your champion for that matter! Why ME, specifically!?" I practically shout at her. Wait. Wait waitwaitwait whoa, whoa, lets slow down here!What kind of cliched response was that!? How could I have given that response!? Thats pretty much putting me at the front of the queue!

"You-"

"DON'T!" I interupt.

"Just don't." I said in exasperation. "Look. What is going on here? One minute I can swear properly, and speak properly. The next, I find myself being unable to say a large number of words that, at one point, were a part of my standard vocabulary. Now It's like something is choking the word as it starts to from, whether it's inside my mind or if it's on my tounge! What's going on here!?" So desperate for answers, I find myself near pleading when I stop talking.

She gives me an apologetic look proceeds to answer my questions.

"I am sorry for what we have done to bring you here, but we are all at our wits end trying to sort out this problem. You see, there is a rogue Entity out there in the multiverse, that we have trying to destroy for millenium now. But WE are bound to this universe, and cannot pass the barrier seperating us from this entity. So we send out champions to destroy this entity in our stead. Insofar, none, have succeeded. From what the other Gods have told me, they all felt there champions die."

"It's normal for some champions to die doing a quest for us really. But we have sent over TEN THOUSAND beings over there! And not _one_ has succeeded! This is not normal. So in the end, we pooled our strength together to find out why they were all being killed off so fast. And do you know what we found?" she asked rhetorically.

"A world filled to bursting with magic. Such a world is practically leathal, poisonous even, to all our creatures." She stated strongly.

"Such a world is beyond any creature at our command. All except for one. You. Humans. You people are not naturally gifted with magical energies. Thus making your people the only choice to send to this other world."

"Hold up there!" I interupt. "Look, I understand that humans are not naturally magicaly aligned. But we have grown into this magic business these past two hundred odd years." I reply.

"True. But the other races you have been fighting and those we sent, were BORN with magic in their bodies. This trait has been with them for thousands of years. Your people have only had it for two centuries." She said.

"OK, I get that. But how is this worlds magic supply so deadly to your creatures.?" I ask, curious, despite myself.

"It falls down to two simple facts sadly. The first is that they absorb magic from the air around them. The purer the magic, the more they want to absorb. And that world, quite possibly, has the purest form of magic we have ever seen. And what's more impressive, is how the ponies there just seem to bathe in it!" She replied in awe.

Whoa. Just... Whoa. That sounds insane. Even the Gods are amazed at this world...? Wait. What? Pony?

"The second reason," she continues ignoring the confusion on my face, "is that all those we sent died the same way. 'Magic Poisoning'. The magic there was too much for them to resist. They became drunk, for lack of a better word, and kept on absorbing the ambient magic untill they died."

OK. Not liking my chances here.

"So, what made you decide to pick me then?" I cannot help but ask.

"We have seen all the humans in your world. And yes, there are many combatants that we could send, but you... you have that balance we are looking for." She states clearly.

"What balance?" I ask, once more in confusion.

"You have knowledge of the world I just told you about. You have a down to earth attitude, that we believe will keep you from the temptation to absorb to the magic that will be all around you. YOU, have self control, humility, and a downright humble attitude to everything. That is you outside of combat! When in combat however, you are ferocious, animalistic almost feral in a way, you are prcatically relentless against your foes, and can take pain like a sponge takes water. You were like that from birth! THAT is why we all believe you to be the best bet against the entity, residing in that world." She replies in a forceful tone. Seamingly trying to make me see what she sees in me.

"Holy dd... moly." I say. "Thats what you all see in me?" I asked yet again in confusion, but also in a sense of... embarassment really.

"Yes." She replies strongly.

I breathe deeply for a time in order to gather my thoughts. After taking a few minutes to go through everything she has said, I finally ask the one question that has plagued my mind since I first heard her voice.

"You mentioned the word 'pony' a few times now. I will make an educated guess and say that you want to send me, to the magical land of Equestria. The land of ponies. Yes?" I finally ask.

"Yes." she said simply.

"Oh fff...ffffff... fudge." I finish lamely. "That is really anoying, you know that?" I asked testily

"I wouldn't _fucking_ know." She answers, rather smugly I might add.

I grind my teeth and growl in annoyance. "What the hhheee... heck is with that!? How come you can swear and I CAN'T!?" I respond angrily.

"Godlike priviledges." How was it possible for her to sound so SMUG!?

"AAAAAARRRGH!" I scream in a rage at the ABSOLUTE unfairness that was presented before me.

"Alright no need to shout." She responded in a consolitary way. "Did you not see what you did to that dragon?" She asked "Was that normal for you?"

"No. No it's not." I reply slightly sulky.

"Oh don't be such a baby about the swearing thing. All of the Divine Panthion decided to give your physical abilities a boost, so that you can handle the Entities forces in Equestria better." She said

"RIght. So i can one hit dragons. Dues this apply to my haaa... my haaaa..."I pause to think. "Do i Really have to call them hooves?" I asked in exasperation.

"Yes." She stated.

"Oh ... pooh." Sighing, I give into the inevitable.

"There now. That wasn't to hard was it?" You could _hear_ the smile in her voice, it was that satisfied.

"Alright, so, when do we get star- WAIT! Before we go into that, what will happen to me beforehaaa... Oh come on! BeforeHOOF!?" That is getting really annoying! And I haven't even GOT there yet!

"What I mean is, will I be Human when I get there?" I finally ask.

"No. You will be transformed into a pony." She stated.

"Oh." What more can be said.

"..." She waits.

"..." She waits again.

"... Are you fine with this?" She askes a little unsure due to my lack of reaction.

"Yes. It's rather logical when you think about it. A pony will have an easier time fiting into pony society than non ponies would." I reply. "Still... I would like some time to get used to the form for when I arrive. Not just that, I would like to keep all my scars if at all possible. And I do kind of wonder though..." I ask thoughtfully.

"What?" She responds curiously.

"What is the timeline in Equestria?At what point will I introduce myself? This sort of thing may help me more easily get this quest done, and bring me that much more swiftly back home.?" Appropriate questions really. They had to be asked.

"In response to the first two questions, as near as we can tell, you will be droping in at the begining-"

"The begginging of what? Season one? Two? Three? Four? Five? Six?" I interrupt.

"Please don't do that." She asks a little annoyed at my interruption. "In answer to that, it would be the begining of Season 1. So it should be better for your infiltration into their society." She replied.

"..." I paused for a time. "Is it me, or does this feel scripted to you?" I queried.

"No." She deadpanned.

"Really?" I deadpanned

"Yes." She replied monotone.

"I've got my eye on you." I warned her.

"Ahem. Lets get back to topic shall we?" She says bringing us back to the moment. "I can give you time to adjust to your new form, but why would you want to keep your scars?" She questioned. Give her some credit, there aren't many who would pass up the chance to have their body undergo a full recovery.

"They are MY scars. They are practically medals. I could stay here, and tell you exactly when and how I recieved each one. They chronicle my entire life to date. I would lose a part of myself if they were to disappear." I repied.

"Alright, they will remain. We will only give you the body of a pony. Any preference?" She asked.

"Earth pony." Was there any doubt. I am a salt of the earth maaa... pony. I am not about to give that up for any thing.

"That was fast. You're sure about that?" She asked, one brow raised.

"Very." I monotoned.

"OK. I will warn you, this is going to hurt." She warned.

"I am currently numb to pain. Best take advantage of that before that sensation comes back."I reply. "Also, don't heal my recently aquired wounds. I want to make a convincing entry here. Also do some damage to the surroundings, to further improve my chances."

"That can be arranged." She said. She then raises her right arrr... hoof. (sigh that is gonna get old) And snapped her fingers.

How the heck do I describe this? It's kind of like an all over body sneeze, my entire body just seemed to puff up, and that was that. No, really, it lasted less than five seconds. I cannot begin to comprehend how that would have felt, if my body was not numb. When I finailly open my eyes, I find myself looking up at the Orc.

"Give yourself a minute, it'll take a some time for you to get control of your limbs." She said concerned.

"I'll take you up on that and have a quick cat nap." I then close my eyes.

*Some time later*

I open my eyes. And blink.

I groan, as the pain from the last few hours finally makes its prescence felt. Oh maaa... my god does this hurt! why can I say the word god? Do the ponies of equestria even believe in them? Well, I'll be able to confirm that when I arrive. Oh, speaking of ponies, I wonder what I look like as one?

"Ah, good. You're awake." Said a voice. Upon further reflection, I recognise the voice beloning to the Orc God.

"Yeah. That was an exerience or ten." I respond dimly.

"Well, why don't you take a look at yourself in the mirror? See if it's to your satisfaction." Quite chipper isn't she?

"Give us a second. I need my body to stop hurtin' first." I ask dryly.

Her nodding head is all I see, so I just take a few minutes to gather my strength. Once I feel that I am ready, I look down at my... hooves. My hooves. Hooves. That is going to take a fair bit to get used to. Whilst I stare at my _hooves_ , I can't help but notice that I have dark blue, fur? Or is it a dark blue coat? Yeah it's coat. It's so dark I would call it navy blue in fact. And the hooves themselvs are a stone grey color, (a pretty nice contrast I think), that makes them stand out in a good way. Not only that, but I feel the muscles in my legs, considering that I'm a pony now, that means that I have four of them.

Alright. Time to stand up. I gather my front hooves beneath me and apply pressure to them. And slowly start to stand up, not an easy process when you sudenly find yourself with four legs and no arms. Wait, why can I say the word 'arms' now? Right, putting that aside, I am now standing on all four legs. A lot easier than I thought it was going to be, but who am I to complain. Now comes walking. Right, one hoof infront of the other, and don't tr-! I fall flat on my face. Ok. Lets let instinct guide me on this one then shall we? Once more I stand up, but this time I let my instict take control. It's slow going at first but with a few hours, or days? Who knows how long I was really here? Anyway. I am now running around, jumping kicking, or is it bucking? Whatever. I'm also punching, biting and performing various martial arts with this new body in order to commit it to memory for when I arrive in Equestria.

I do not neglect to train myself when wielding Sternguard. And I have to say that I feel _Good_ , when wielding my hammer. Whether it is in one hoof or the other, it still feels natural.

*Some time later*

A great deal of time has passed in this magic void, but I am now full happy with this pony body of mine. I glance at the mirror, and decide that now is the time to see how I really look like. I move over to the mirror, and gaze at my new body. There before me, stands a navy blue colored, buff looking stalion, the type that would normally seen in the Guard forces of Equestria. I look At my haaa... mane and tail and see that consists of two colors. Mainly a dull steel gey color, with ice blue streaks through it. My mane is about avearge length and is styled in a sort of messy fashion. With a parting at the centre with the left parting going down over my left eye and curling under my torn left ear. Whilst the right parting rests above my right eye, sort of obscuring my burnt right ear. How is mane not damaged by the dragons fire? My tail is again average length, styled in a sort of scraggy manner with the same color scheme.

My face is strong looking, with little excess fat with light blue colored eyes. Looking under my chin, I see a small gaotee beard, the same dull steel grey color as my mane and tail. However, the thing that will draw the most attention are the scars that adorn my new body, both fresh and old. The newest scars are the 3rd degree burns that stretch from the right side of my face, reaching all the way to my right flank. They also cover the top half off my right front leg and a portion of my back. They are charcoal black with blistered red patches where the heat seared the flesh to expose the muscle underneath. Not just that, but there are a some deep slash wounds from the dragons claws, which start from my left flank travling up my back and ending on my right shoulder. None of the slash wounds are bleeding. I presume that this place stops that alongside the pain. ...Oh. That is going to screw my day up right there. As for the other scars on my body, they pretty much crisscross almost every inch of it. The only notable ones being three claw marks on the left side of my face, reaching from my left brow, crossing over my left eye and ending on my left cheek. And a ragged bite mark I got during my earlier career, on my chest.

Dang. I look terrible. Horrible. Horrific even! Only now do I realise how bad I really look. This is going to make for one heck of an introduction. Whoever I meet first will in all probability take me to hospital, and that would leave me bed ridden for a number of weeks at least. That is, after the pain knocks me out cold of course.

"HOLY! This is way worse than I thought it was!" I exclaim in horror.

"That is what I meant when I asked if you were certain about keeping your scars." She said in a molifying tone.

"Yeah, thanks for that. I am unsure how I will explain all this." I cannot really think how I will explain this to whoever I meet.

"Well, the landscape in a certain range will recieve certain damage, especially around where your body and the dragons corpse will be. So, you could say that the dragon attacked you and wouldn't listen to reason, which lead to its unfortunate demise." I hear her say.

"...?" I think to myself. "That's not a bad idea. Simple and actually true too. Still though, Will I be able to withstand the pain? I mean, in here it's sort of numb now, but when I leave will it flare up beyond my capabilities?" I am rather unsure about this, so I ask for clarification.

"When you recieved your injuries in here, you should not have been able to even think straight. They were that bad, but, you were able to withstand the pain and kill the dragon in one strike. Then you were able to hold a conversation with me, and endured a full body transformation whilst awake." God alive! I really took all that? Dang. "Whats more, you then woke up and proceeded to exercise for, in earth terms would be four weeks straight. Without rest, food or even water." She said amazed.

"Crikey. Really?" I cannot keep the shock from my voice.

"Yes really." She said.

I let out a short whistle in awe at my own accomplishment.

"Well... will I feel an increase in pain when I get to equestria? This may help push my story." I inquire.

"No, not really. But, you will feel a great degree of exhaustion when you arrive." She said.

"Huh." I pause to think a little. "Alright, I think that covers everything... Oh, one last question. How powerful am I compared to the many enemies that are already in equestria?" That fact hit me near last minute, but I kind of do want to know my limits.

She thinks for seconds before replying, "We're not really sure, but the fact that you can one hit kill a dragon, puts you in the top ten most powerful beings rankings in that world atleast."

"Hold up. Top Ten Rankings? You know the top ten most powerful beings in that world already?" Shocked at that knowledge, I cannot kee the surprise from my voice.

"Well. We did check the whole world out first before coming here. So yeah. We do have a fair grasp on the power levels in Equestria." She added.

I-I-I... words... I cannot think anymore. "Oh." Really what can I say.

"With this, everything should now be in place. Are you ready, Chapion. To stop an evil Entity from destroying one world in its evergrowing conquest?" The tone she gives, reminds me of the 'royal voice' of the many royal famalies I encoutered.

I take a moment to breathe deeply, to calm my nerves.

"Ready." I look her in the eyes to show my determination.

She smiles at me and nods, acknowledging my readiness. She then turns and opens her arms wide. Magic pools infront of her, and I see a portal expand before my eyes. It is simply a whirlpool of color, on color blending in with the next in a chaotic mess.

"When you are ready, jump in." Her head turned to me as she speaks.

I look at her and ask one last question.

"Is there a chance for me to return?" I ask simply. Kind of half expecting and half dreading.

She sighs, before answering in a soft apologetic voice.

"No. This is a permanent, one way trip. There is no coming back." she said.

A sad smile makes its way to my lips. I did kind of expect that answer afterall. Still, it would have been nice to have a way back home.

"Yeah. I kind of expected that." a small sigh escapes me, but then, I smile fiercely.

"This will be the adventure of a lifetime!" I crack the muscles in my neck, in preparation for what I am about to do. "Wish me luck Miss!" I call out in excitement. I then rear back onto my hind legs and charge the portal!

"Geronimooooo!" I cannot keep myself from calling out a childish battlecry. And plunge into Equestria.

A/N - Well, that was a marathon effort. I didn't really think that I would actually end up writing this story really. There is only one other that I am thinking of writing in the near future.

It will be a RWBY x Godzilla x King Kong crossover. These two kings will be faunus. And I may include Gamera and Mothra to make a four Kaiju team in Beacon academy. I am currently doing some research on all four of them, so I can give them adequate powers and semblances.

We wish me luck with that one. But please review the chapters for "What Just Happened?" so far and give me honest opinions on where I could improve my writing style and story telling.


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

The magic portal. A mess of color. Each one blending near seamlessly into the other an a chaotic yet also beautiful display before my eyes.

In case you are wondering. I am falling. Falling. Falling. After what felt like a few seconds turned into minutes, hours, days even. At first I felt excitment, but this soon turned to boredom. Then after even MORE time passed, I felt really annoyed at the God who sent me via bloooo... blllolllooollloo...! Guuh! Magic portal. _I miss cursing already._ Sigh.

*Some time later*

THUD!

...

...

...

...

"...Ow." Do I really need to say more?

Ok. Lets get everything in order. Firstly; I am in pain. Thats good, but thankfully it is not a crippling pain, as I can move my body quite easily. Secondly; I can see though both eyes perfectly. This did have me a little worried I will admit; due to the close proximity of the burn which is covering my right eye. Thirdly; the smell here is God aweful! The smell of dead dragon is never an easy one to get used to, but couple that with an enhanced sense of smell, with the scent of my own charred flesh. And there you have a potent cocktail for nasal abuse!

I try to stand up, but a feeling of exhuastion keeps me down. So against my better judgement, I draw a deep breath, and start coughing at the lethal cocktail that hangs in the air. A few minutes of coughing, and I gain control of my breathing enough to attempt to stand on my own hooves. At first it was hard, but as I put more effort into it, I finally stand up. Trembling my legs may be, but I'm nevertheless still standing. Still though, it took a lot out of me just doing that. I gaze over the battlefield and see the prepared carnage. Charred trees, shattered boulders, scarred earth, blood and bone. Not a pretty sight to say the least.

This is not what one would expect to see when they come to Equestria. Far from it in fact. But sadly, I can see that this will become a more common sight in the coming months.

"I cannot believe that this will be a more common occurance." I sigh in dejection.

"Still, I will not stop untill the threat has been ended. I will bring peace to Equestria, even if I have to die to do so!" Conviction laces my words as I speak.

With strength of will, I look around for something. Sternguard. My hammer is not in visible sight; until I see the haft peeking out from under the dragons corpse. I sigh heavily in resignation, and move slowly over to the corpse. I grip the hammer in my...hoof...? Wiat a second? I am gripping thehaft of Sternguard in my hoof. My HOOF! How does that even work!? NO! Nonononono! Don't you go about giving me the 'It's Magic' explaination! There has to be a reason for this! With that rant, I find that I cannot get a grip on Sternguard. Eh? What is this? Beacause I don't believe that I should be able to grasp things in my hooves, you are now telling me that I CANNOT grab things with my HOOVES!?

I slap myself with my hoof. The pain is treble what it normally was; due to me slapping my injured right cheek. Cringing at my stupidity, I get control of my emotions. Upon further reflection, I should not act like Twilight Sparkle here and not accept something just because it doesn't make sense.

"HEY! Are you alright!?" A voice calls out from above me.

Speak of the pony...

*Twilight POV*

A sigh escapes me. I am currently being flown via pegasus chariot, to be dropped off in Ponyville. The reason for this is because I recieved a letter from Princess Celestia. This message came in response to a letter that I had previously sent via Dragon Mail Express. I sent this letter to inform her upon my discovering information regarding the return of The Mare in The Moon. Nightmare Moon. And what was the response? 'Stop reading those duskey old books!' it said. 'Make some friends!' it said!

Another sigh escapes me as I lean against the side of the chariot.

"Look on the bright side Twilight. The princess arranged for you to stay in the library. Doesn't that make you happy?" Said a voice in in peppy and cheerful voice besides me. That voice belongs to Spike. A baby dragon. Purple in color except for the pale gren belly scales, lime green colored ears and the dark cabbage green colored spiked ridges going from his head, down his back and ending at his tail.

What he says does perk me up though.

"Yes. And do you know why? Because I know I'm right. I'll check on the preperations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof of Nightmare Moos return." I say in a serious tone.

"Then when wi-" Spike began but was interupted.

Off in the distance we see a large dragon swooping down roaring at something we cannot discern. The pegasi pulling the chariot pull up and hold position, glaring at the dragon in the distance.

"Whoa! A dragon! Here!? What is it here for?" I say in confusion and excitement. I was about to say more, but then I see the dragon breathe fire at whatever it was attacking. Not only that, but It was striking with its claws everywhere in a clear attempt to kill its target. I search myself to find some sort of writing material; even charcoal would be good right now. Nopony has ever seen a dragon, nor have they been able to observe much about them. My fascination holds until I see just what the dragon is actually atacking. The distance is great but I can still identify the dragons target to be a pony!

"OH MY GOSH! That dragon's attacking a pony!" I shout in horror.

The guards and spike all look at me, then at what the dragon just tossed into the air. Details aren't really clear but it is enough for them to see that a pony was being attacked! I leap into action.

"Spike! Send urgent message to Princess Celestia!" I call out.

"Right!" Spike responds by pulling out a quill and some parchment. Then writes a quick letter detailing where we are and what we just witnessed. He then rolls it up and burns it using his dragon breathe.

"Guards, take us in close so we can help that pony!" I call out to the guards pulling the chariot. But...

"Sorry ma'am. We would be putting both of you in harms way if we did that. I'm sorry to say this, but we can only watch as this continues to its inevitable conclusion." One of the guards responds critically.

"WHAT!? That pony is going to die and you are not even going to help them!?" Shouting now, I cannot believe what I heard the guard just said!

"I'm sorry. But there is nothing we can do at this point." An apologetic but firm voice responds to my dismay.

"But..." I cannot think of anything to say, as I bear witness to the death of a pony before me. Spike then burps, leaving a scroll behind. Spike hurriedly opens it, reads it and gives us a quick summary.

"Princess Celestia, says not to put ourselves in danger." He is shocked at the messages contents. As am I. "She says to hold at a safe distance and to wait for her arrival. She says that we are ill prepared to combat a dragon and that it may be too late by the time she gets here." He finishes in a sad voice.

"No. No, nononono! She has to get here in time! That pony is going to die! She has to get here!" I cry in dismay. I then hear a loud crash, and turning back I fear the worst.

However. What I see next fills me with joy. After the pony crashes back to the earth, they then get back up. Seemingly more angered than hurt at the dragons actions. The pony then, to both my, and everypony's disbelief, trie to talk to the dragon. I can only assume that despite everything, this pony wants to talk this dragon down. Try to stop it from attacking them, still wanting to end the fight peacfully. I cannot believe it. The dragon responds however by breathing fire upon them. The pony then screams in pain. I flinch, unable to imagine the pain they are experiencing right now. This only grows worde when the dragon slashes the pony with its claws. Dragging them across their back, drawing another pain filled scream.

I can only cringe as the dragon casually backhands the pony a distance away. I turn away. I can't bring myself to see this through. I feel Spike tapping my shoulder, so I look and can't keep the the gasp of shock form escaping my lips. Eyes wide, I see the pony standing on their hooves, wielding a large two headed hammer. The pony breathes deeply and shouts.

"I will skin you alive, rip out your bones, tear out your organs and turn you into FU... into FFFFF... FFFFFFFFF... MINCEMEAT!" The pony screams.

The pony, for some reason, pauses. They seem to be confused. But this lapse of concentration gives the dragon a chance to strike, which it takes. One arm lashes forward, striking the unwounded side of the pony. The pony is blown away, but to my disbelief, the pony lands on their hooves staggering, but remains standing. They then gather themselves, says something that I cannot discern at this distance; then charges. Straight at the dragon. The dragon just opens it's mouth and lunges, in an attempt to eat the pony coming straight towards it. The pony then leaps forward, turns their injured side away from the dragon, leaving the hammer to trail loosely from their right hoof. And then, moving faster than I can see, the pony strikes.

...

...

...

There is no way for me to describe what just happened. The pony struck with enough power to completely liquify the dragons head. I turn my head away from the brutal and sickening sight and empty my stomach of its contents.

"Twilight? Whaa... wha... what was that?" Spike asks in complete terror. His body pale, shivering and sweaty.

"I-I-I... I don't know Spike? I should be happy that the pony is alive, but, they just killed somepony." I respond slowly and quietly. "I don't know how to feel about this." I am slightly despondent about this situation. I am confused, shocked and above all else horrified at what this pony did.

"Ma'am?" One of the guards spoke, drawing my attention to them.

"Yes?" I ask.

"If anything, we should be glad that that pony is alright. From what we could see, the pony was attacked unprovoked. And the pony tried to talk to the dragon, maybe to try to reason with it. But clearly the dragon wasn't going to listen. So in the circumstances, thier actions in taking out the threat to their life is justifiable as self defense." The guard said.

His words make sense, and I nod my understanding. Still... what that pony did is not normal. I then look to the pony seeing them fall to the ground. Hammerless. My heart jumps into my mouth as I order the guards to take us in.

In the time it takes us to get there, the pony has stood up on shaky legs and with difficulty, limps over to the dragons side and leans on it. So I call out to them.

"HEY! Are you alright!?" I shout down to them.

"..." The pony does not respond, only staring straight ahead. All things considered, they are likely to be exhausted and near delerious with the pain they are feeling. As the chariot lands I order the guards to prepare some makshift bandages, and for spike to send a report as to what happened here. I make my way swiftly over to the pony, only to be amazed yet again. This pony just lifts up the dragons body, reaches down and pulls out from under it their hammer.

I stare as the dragon is then dropped without any preamble, and the pony then staggers. I rush forward to provide support, but I stop from getting too close. I can now see the wounds they suffered. A horrific burn stretching from their right flank, covering a portion of their back and the upper half of their lead right leg. It travels up their neck and covers their right eye. A charred blackened mess, with blistered, fiery red flesh exposed to the elements. I also see the claw marks covering their back and bleeding freely. The ponies navy blue coat; mixing with their own blood to make it appear as though it was black.

This pony then turns towards me. I have to look up at him as he stands a little under five feet tall. And I stare into his eyes. His eyes are a light blue color, but I can see that they are filled with pain, but also a will. A titanic will I had never seen in anypony before. His face is strong looking, one that holds knowledge and experience of the world around him. The type I would associate with my brother. His body is also strong looking, with taught, straining muscles in just the right proportions. The only exception being a bit more muscle on his uper chest, legs and hooves. Obviously meant to deal great and powerfull attacks against his oponents. As I noticed before, his coat is a navy blue color and his hooves are stone grey in color.

His mane and tail, are a dull steel grey in color with ice blue streaks through them. He is also sporting a small goatee the same color as his mane and tail, only without the ice blue streaks. His mane is about average length with a messy style to it. It is parted in the centre, with the left parting going down over his left eye and curling under his torn left ear. Whilst the right parting rests above his right eye covering his right ear. His tail is again average length, styled in a sort of scraggy manner.

I freeze. I am at a loss for words. What can I say here? Spikes burp pulls me out of my thoughts, as I turn to look over to him. Spike reads it through so that he can give us a summary as the guards come over with some makeshift badages to apply to the stallion before me. He just stands there. Leaving the guards to their business of tending to his wounds as best they can.

"Sorry, but this is the best we can do for your injuries. If we can get to our destination, we can drop you off at the hospital there." One of the guards says to him

"Appreciate it." His voice, a deep baritone that echoes with experience, yet also seems slightly playful. A strange contrast to his own voice. But the fact that even with his injuries, he can still smile in such an appreciative way, it is remarcable. Still though I have to ask. If not for my sake then for the sake of Princess Celestia.

"I-" I begin before Spike interupts.

"Princess Celestia says that we are to bring this pony to Ponyville for emergency treatment at the hospital there. She says that she wants to meet this pony in person." He says. "Well? What are we waiting for then Twilight? We should get him there fast!" Spike exclaims pointing at the pony in question.

"We will Spike, but there is a question I want answered first," I begin with Spike before turning to the colt, "if you don't mind?" I ask the colt.

He smiles in pained humor whilst the guards are bandaging him up as best as they can.

"Sure, I'll answere to the..." He fliches as one of the guards brushes against his burn flesh, "... best of my abilities." His voice is pain laden, but he still responds strongly with a bit of humor. How tough is he? I cannot help the small blush from forming on my cheeks.

"W-well, why did that dragon attack you? Did you really have to kill it?" I ask. I don't know why but I really need to know his reasons for what happened.

His smile becomes sad as he looks down slightly.

"That was two questions, but I'll answer them both." Again he answers with a little humor, but this time in a sadder voice. One filled with regret.

"As for why the dragon attacked me... I really don't know why. I'm a traveler by choice, so I have been to a lot of places. Maybe I entered the dragons territoy and it wanted me gone? Maybe it mistook me for some other pony? There are many questions I have as to why it attacked me, but... it just wouldn't listen to me no matter much I tried to talk to it." His voice only gets deeper and filled with even more doubt and regret of what occured. "You also asked 'Did you really have to kill it?' right? No. No, I didn't have to kill it. I was honestly trying to knock it out. Trying to get it to leave me alone. I did not expect what just happened to actually happen!" His voice... his sorrow... I feel so bad right now! I am making relive what he just survived, and am making it feel like an inquisition!

"Please! I am so sorry for making you feel uncomfortable! It's just that... its just...!" I begin, but can't seem to finish.

"No. It's alright. It's probably your first time seeing such a sight. Practically everypony is like that their first time around. Whether they are the one doing the killing, or if they are just witnessing it." He responds to my apologetic concerns. How can he be so calm about this!?

"How can You be so calm about his!? You just killed somepony! I just don't get it!" I cry. I just cannot understand how he can be so calm abou this!

"...The reason for my calm is because I HAVE killed before." The response I get from him shocks me. Not just me but Spike aswell! Only the guards semm unaffected by his statement. As shown by how they continue to bandage him up.

"You... killed... other ponies?" I back off a few paces. Looking at someone I now start to see as a murderer.

"Yes. I have killed other ponies before. Now, I know what you're thinking. That I am a murderer. A monster. But let me ask you a question. And I want an your answer to be given within six seconds after you hear it. OK?" What I hear scares me, but I nod to his last question. Curious despite myself.

"There is a pony who has for years, been kidnapping little fillies and colts for their own perverse pleasure. They sexually, mentally and physically abuse them and then kill them after they gey bored." The scenario he gives is sickening. "This pony now stands before you in a stand-off. A knife at his newest victims throat, what do you do?"

"I use my magic to make the knife dis-" I began.

"The pony sees your horn glowing, so they slash the lttle colts throat then starts to run. What do you do? His response is harsh.

"W-well I use my magic to try to heal the injured pony and-" I begin again.

"The murderer, then grabs another little pony as insurance against possible pursuit. Then makes a run for it whilst you are healing the one they injured. NOW, what do you do?" His respons is even harsher.

"I-I-I... I don't know." I hold my head low, ears flat; unsure as to how it should have been handled.

"...That situation I gave you, was one I had to deal before." His words shock me. He had witnessed this scenario before? Some pony was so sick as to do things like this?

"Wha... what did you do?" I ask quietly.

"What I did was turn my back." I did not expect this! How does turning your back help in this situation! "There was a rock on the ground nearby, so I picked it up and turned fast. In that time the murderer was confused with regards to my actions. Their irrational state couldn't register my actions properly for them to respond. I then threw the rock with as much accuracy as I could. With luck it hit the hoof holding the knife, which then fell to the ground. I hurl myself forward, colliding with the pony and tackle them to the ground. They reached for the knife, which I wrench from their grip then slam it into their heart. Killing them on the spot."

What he just said... I cannot even...

"What happened after?" I ask in a small voice.

"What happened is that the parents of the little colt ran up to him a held him in thier hooves. Cryin in joy that he was safe. The other ponies also, were sharing in the good mood that had fallen the street. I was not part of that joy. That... was my first kill." I cannot hold the gasp from escaping my mouth. "I then stagger to my hooves; dropping the knife... looking at the blood that stains them... I couldn't register anything for a time. That is untill the little colt came up to me. Asking if I, of all ponies, was alright. HE came up to ME! Asking if I was ALRIGHT! I-I-I could scarce believe it! I just looked down at him!" His voice near hysterical as he relived that memory. I myself couldn't belive what I was hearing. This little colt who survived such an experience was asking his saviour if THEY were alright!

"I asked him, 'what did he mean by that?'. And do you know what he said?" His voice was calming down. Resembling his voice when I first heard it.

"He said, 'You are hurt arn't you? I know what it's like to be hurt, and I would have been hurt if it wern't for you. I wanted to thank you for saving me. But You looked hurt, so I wanted to know what I could do to make you feel better?'."He stops speakiing as tears roll down his face. I couldn't believe what I just heard. This little colt cared about the safety of his sviour not his own.

"When I heard that, tears rolled down my face as I kneeled before him. I said-" he pauses due to his tears, " I said, 'Thank you.' And just held him in my arms as the tears fell. When I finally got control of my tears, I stood up and thanked him again. Then, I said, ' So long as I can prevent others like him from causing harm, then I would willingly put my llife on the line again.' I have put my life on the line ever since. Making the world a better place if only a little. Even if it means killing others to keep the innocent safe." He finishes with a voice of iron.

His experience. I could have got one pony killed and put another in harms way. His strength of spirit is just... it's too much.

"I'm really sorry. I cannot explain how sorry I am for how I thought about your actions nor about your experiences." I pause tears forming as a draw an unsteady breathe. "I know that what I said cannot be unsaid, I know I cannot be forgi-!" He hugs me, even after all that I have said, he hugs me. It feels... warm, comforting.

"It is already forgiven. I cannot fault you for thinking that way. It is how all others have thought. But you atleast, you atleast, now, understand my pain. I hope this doesn't pu any barriers between us though. Its been so long now since I last spoke to anypony for any length of time. And, right now, I could do with a friend." His words surprise me. He needs a friend? He has had no contact with any other ponies for a long time? I know Princess ceestia wants me to make friends, but, finding somepony looking for a friend? I... I am not sure what to say here.

"Hey. I'm Spike. It's nice to meet you, given the circumstances." Spikes introduction has both of us, looking at him from our hug. The pony breaks the hug, but why do I feel less warm now?

"hey Spike. It's a pleasure to meet you too," He smirks a little, "given the circumstances." Spike chuckles at his response.

"Hehehe. Yeah. But... do you suppose that we could leave this place? I'm feeling queasy being here after all." Hispurple scales have a sick tint of green to them.

"Yes. Perhaps it's best we left this place, and get you to the hospital in Ponyville." I first say to spike then to the colt.

"I appeciate the offer of medical care, but if you can just bring me to a source of food, then I can perhaps show you a bit of magic." I blink at his statement.

"Magic? But you're an earth pony, you can't do magic?" I am confused as to what he means. He gives a little laugh, which makes me feel a little warm inside.

"Trust me. It takes seeing to believe it." His mouth is openly grinning ass he said that.

"Alright, but I still think we should get you to hospital." I reiterate the fact that he needs medical care.

"Lets get going then. Onwards to...? Where are we going to?" He asks a little bewildered.

We are headed for the town called Ponyville."

A/N

Really enjoying this now. I just hope that this chapter flows with the previous ones. If not then I shall rewrite it, to fit the whole story a little better.

Feel free to review the story, on the OC, my portail of Twilight and Spike. And the narrative. Work on the following chapters will be sporadic at best, No clear schedule really, just when I have the chapter all figured out in my head.

See ya Next Time!


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

I am now on my way to Ponyville. Wow, just... **wow**! How many Bronies out there, back home, can honest to God say, 'I just went to Ponyville'? I am both insanely happy, yet very, VERY nervous. Why? Why are you even asking that? I already explained the situation in chapter two did I not?

...

...

...?

(Full apologies for the fourth wall break there. Totally unacceptable. Brief summary; An Orc God has sent this pony to Equestria to take down some rogue Entity. By Entity, You can assume rightly, that they meant a rogue God. Please enjoy the rest of the tale.)

...

...

...?

What just happened? Did I have some sort of existential crisis? Who am I really? Just some Character in some story created by some transcendental entity? By some sick, twisted mind? (Oi.) Huh? what was that? (Nothing. Do your mission well and you will be rewarded.) ... What _sort_ of reward are we talking here? (You'll see.)

...

...

...Great. I am now talking to myself in my head. Is this how insanity starts? My thoughts are brought back from the brink of posible sanity, back firmly onto the comfortable plains of the sensibly sane. How? Twilight, thats how.

"Are you alright?" She asked seemingly concerned for my well being. Something I find rather nice really, I mean she is part of the 'mane 6' after all.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright. It's... just memories now. After recalling my first kill, they all seem to be... just popping up." I bluff rather well don't I? I think rather smugly. Now, Please don't get me wrong here, I am not a big fan for lying to her, nor will I like lying to all the other ponies, but this place will be my home from now on. I have to set a strong backstory or I will always be under their suspicion, that basically means that I will not have the freedom I need to tackle this Entity.

I find myself with a fair bit of time to actually look at Twilight, and I only now seem to notice something about her. For one, she is a little under a foot shorter than I am. Secondly, she is a unicorn pony with a light purple colored coat, with her mane and tail being mainly dark magenta in color, with a single streak of pink and purple through it. They are both styled quite similarly; well groomed and straight, with the exception of her mane, which curls lightly to rest over her left front shoulder. Thirdly, her eyes are deep purple in color, they sort of hold your attention without you even realising it. Fourthly, her Cutie Mark, it is a large pink star with smaller white ones around it. I have to admit that I do find her to be **very** attractive. Hmmm. Is it just me or am I more sexually active as a pony than I was as a human? Wait. I can say that I was human? I can't curse or swear or any of that good stuff, but I can now say **arms**!? What the FFFFF...! I don't know what I have to do to do it, but I will find a way for me to swear again! Upon my **soul** I swear it!

Ahem. Last but not least.

... She is a cartoon.

A cartoon.

I honestly thought that this would be slightly more realistic than this. How does that work anyway? It doesn't make sense! We are all cartoon characters in some barmey... kids show. Barmey? Well... any alternative I guess. I Sigh heavily. I am about to have a crisis.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Twilight says quietly.

"No. I'll get over it." I sigh. "Still, I do have to show you my magic trick after all." I reply happily. I will be honest here, but his is all so I can taste the food from Sweet Apple Acres. Geh. I'm drooling.

"Well, if you say so." She says, sceptical of my magic. Can't really blame her for that can you. I am after all an earth pony, and we don't use... **Ooooh**! Now I **am** nervous; can I use magic from earth here? How can I find out without her noticing? My panic seems to show as Twilight glances at me from the other side of the chariot.

"Twilight. He said to bring him to some food so that he can show us his magic right?" Spike adds in almost as an after thought.

"Yes he did. Your point?" Twilgith asks.

"Well, the first stop on the 'Official Overseers Checklist' has us checking up on food preperation going on at Sweet Apple Acres. So he could show us his magic whilst we're there." Spike points out, rather prudently I might add, their reason for going to Ponyville.

Of course I already know this, but, lets play along shall we?

"That sounds rather official, what are you doing there?" I ask out of curiosity. Despite knowing whats happening.

Over the course of our journey, she recounts what her duties are, but that she would like to get them over and done with with as much speed as she can. All beacuse of the prophecy, regarding the Return of Nightmare Moon. Once I heard that part, I do confess to feeling a great twinge of regret. Of all the ponies in Equestria, I confess to liking Princess luna the most. It does pain me to see her in this state. I wonder though? Now that I am here, maybe...? Is it possible to get her to change back peacefully? Such a thing would require a great deal of care and affection, not just that but patience and love. Can I really pull something like that off? My thoughts must be showing on my face because Twilight brings me back from my brooding.

"Um, are you alright?" Twilights concern for my wellbeing is rather touching considering we've known each other for less than an hour.

"Yes Twilight, just thinking." I respond slowly, should I tell her why though?

"What are you thinking about?" She questioned.

"... Twilight, answer me honestly. Do you hate Nightmare Moon?" I need Twilight to be honest here. I know that she and all other ponies are scared of her, but, I need to know if they 'hate' her. There is a key difference between hating somepony and fearing them.

"Wha? What do you mean by that?" She is confused by me question. I mean who wouldn't be? It did come out of nowhere after all, still, she has not given me an answer.

"Twilight, please answer the question." I look into her eyes, and implore her. Wait...? Is she blushing? Whatever for?

"We-well..." She stuttered "I-I-I... I don't really know. Her return will bring about an endless night for all equestria. I also belive that she will return, tonight even! And that scares me." I can see the fear in her eyes, but I also detect the courage to face that same fear. "You asked me if I 'hated' her right?" I nod. "Well... No. I may fear her, but I don't hate her. It may seem contradictory, but I can't bring myself to hate her. I can't even explain why?" I cannot detect any falsity in her words. My gaze softens and a small smile displays itself. OK, **why** is she blushing now?

"Thank you for your honesty Twillight." Is it me or is her blushing getting worse? Her whole face is turning red. "I needed to hear that. I also want you to know that I will help you however I can with regards to this matter." With that I hope I can...? She just went a whole shade redder? Is that even possible? Not only that, but she is biting her lower lip whilst avoiding my gaze. "Um... Twilight? Are you alright" I asked out of concern.

"YES!" How is it possible for her **whole** body to turn red?! "I mean yes. I am alright. Whew, is it hot up here or is it just me?" Now where have I heard that line before?

"Are you sure your alright? After what just happened a little while ago, you could be experiencing shock?" I am very concerned. As I just stated, many do go into shock after the adrenaline has died, it matters not whether they were a part of it or not.

"Yes! I am fine!" She is a little short with me for some reason.

"If you say so." Wait, did our roles reverse themselves?

"Hey. Um, why did you ask that question?" After turning back to purple, she questions me about my own question.

"Well, knowing that Nightmare Moon is coming back-" As I was speaking, Spike brings me up short.

"Hey! Look! It's Ponyville!" His voice is filled with childish excitment.

"So we see kid." A chuckle at his childish antics.

"Hey! I am not a kid!" He pouts in a childlike manner. It is actually adorable, I never thought I would ever say that. I laugh a bit before speaking.

"Sorry Spike!" I apologise while laughing, which only make Spike pout more. "It's just that you were so adorable! I couldn't help myself!" Oh! My! God! Spike is **BLUSHING**! Turning his purple and green scales a rather peculiar color. Twilight's laughter is not helping very well.

"OK! OK you can stop now. We're about to land." Twilight points this out for us both whilst chuckling herself.

Still smiling, I look upon one of the most recognisable locations in all of Equestria. My heart swells with insane levels of joy. Oh, I can hear the howls of Bronies everywhere! The hate is real here ponies! I cannot believe it! That right there is Sugarcube Corner! There is **The** carousel Boutique! OH Hohoho! And **that** right there, is **the** Ponyville Library! I am GEEKING OUT RIGHT HERE! Thank you God for for the **ultimate** poker face. OK we are nearing the grou... Oh god! How could I have forgotten! I am scarred to heck and back! How will all the other ponies react to this!? While I am having a moment, the carriage final touches down, with the guards whinnying. Twilight, Spike and I get off, with Twilight approaching the guards.

"Thank you gentlmen." She says... wait what?

"Hey Twilight. Since we are here, you could try making friends with other ponies. Pehaps the ponies of Ponyville have interesting things to talk about?" As Spike is saying this, a certain Pink Peppy Party Pony, is approaching us. This is the One, the Only, Pinkie Pie! An earth pony with a pink colored coat, with her mane and tail a darker shade of pink. Her eyes are blue, and her Cutie Mark is composed of three ballons, two blue and one she approaches us Spike gets twilight to try to speak to her. Not really the best option, but, you take what you can get.

"Uh, hello?" Twilight attempts to start a conversation, but... Pinkie gasps while hovering in mid-air, then dashes away at great speed.

"Well, that was interesting." I say. In response, Twilight groans and holds her head low at that failure. "Hey. Cheer up Twilight. There are still plenty of ponies with whom you can still talk to. Don't let this one hold you down." I try to console her, but I am not sure it worked as she just started to walk away. I sigh sadly at that while Spike jumps upon Twilights back.

As we make our way through Ponyville, we start to attract all kinds of attention. And by we, I mean me. Well, who can blame them, I am an armed, scarred and bandaged pony walking through their town after all. Speaking of which, I only now realise that I am not feeling any sort of pain. None whatsoever. I like it. While I am think about this, Twilight also notices the ponies staring at me and begins to fidget and fret about it. A smirk appears on my face as I think of a way to distract her. My eyes widen as an idea presents itself. I start to hum a tune, then as momentum builds I start to sing a song, adapted for pony kind.

[ **PLAY 'FULL METAL JACKET - FINALE - MICKEY MOUSE]**

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _We play fair and we work hard_

 _and we're in harmony_

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

With the first verse, I had grabbed not only Twilight's and Spike's attention, but the attention of many of the ponies around us, I just continue walking through Ponyville with Twilight and Spike follwing behind me.

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Forever let us hold our banner high._

 _High! High! High!_

 _Fillies and Colts from far and near_

 _you're welcome as can be._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who's the leader of the club_

 _that's made for you and me._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who is marching coast to coast_

 _and far across the sea._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

Twilight and Spike seem to enjoy it. Not just them though but everypony who is listening to it is humming along to the simple tune.

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Forever let us hold our banner high._

 _High! High! High!_

 _Come along and sing a song_

 _and join our family._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who's the leader of the club_

 _that's made for you and me._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Hey there. Hi there. Ho there_

 _You're as welcome as can be._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

At the songs conclusion, I hold a smile on my face as Twilight, Spike and numerous other ponies who heard me sing cheer and stomp their hooves in appreciation of the little tune a threw out. I rub the back of my head with a blush on my cheeks, I didn't really sound that good after all. I was never much of a singer, but, perhaps, cartoon logic gave me a good singing voice. Another bonus for random aaaaaa... random logic. I am going to find a way to curse, you mark my words.

I give a wave at all the ponies around us as we leave Ponyville and make our way to Sweet Apple Acres. This is _hopefully_ where I can show off some of my magic. If not, then I will be full to burstin' because of all the food that will be before us. Oh god. I am drooling again. As we are walking Twilight praises me for my singing.

"That was amazing! I did not take you to be a singer. How long have you beens singing for to get so good?" Innocent questions to be sure, but I can't help the blush that creeps onto my face.

"Aww. I ain't so good. It's just that... when your alone on your way from place to place, you find yourself with a lot of time on your hooves. So, in order to help pass the time, I started to sing." Both Twilight and Sppike are listening with rapt attention. "Sometime I would meet other ponies, and would entertain them with a few songs just for the company. As traveling is often a lonely profession, nevertheless, it did not stop me from making many friends on my journey. It may not be for everypony, but I loved it. And I enjoyed every second of it." As I speak, memories of my past travels as a human... make their way to the surface of my consciousness. I smile at all the memories, both good and bad, for they were the best times of my life.

The mood between us is rather friendly, I kinda hope that this makes us friends. With this idle thought, we make our way through the arch that leads to Sweet Apple Acres. As we pass through the arch a loud YE-HAWW! sounds around us. We look for the voice to see none other than Applejack. An earth pony with an orange colored coat with her mane and tail being yellow colored and tied near the ends with a red band. Green eyes and a Cutie Mark consisting of three red apples on her flank. On top of this is her ever present light-brown stetson hat. You can't really have Applejack without that hat.

She is running around her orchard, bucking trees, which causes the apples to fall into the barrels at their base, without spilling even one. After her little show she takes a pose. Twilight sighs in resignation.

"let's get this over with." She steps forward with Spike and I following at her sides.

"Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Sparkle-!" Thats as far as she got, due to the fact that Applejack is now holding her fore-right hoof in both of hers, and is shaking them at some speed. I riase an eyebrow while a small smirk at the position she finds herslf in.

"Well, howdy-do miss Twilght. A pleasure makin' yer aquaintance. I'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends." She speaks in a Southern American accent, a rather thick southern drawl, this only serves as a reminder of how much a down to earth pony she is. At least in my opinion it does.

"Ffrrieennddss? Aaacctuuallyy IIIII-!" Poor Twilight, the amount of shaking she is experiencing is making her voice sound funny.

"So, what can I do yeh for?" She says, winking. Poor Twilights leg is still shaking, atleast it was untill Spike stopped it for her, it would have gone over better if he didn't chuckle at that. In response to his chuckling, she glares at him before clearing her throat to speak.

"Ahem. Well, I am in fact here to supervise preperations for the Summer Sun Celebration, and you're in charge of the food?" She asks wanting to know if this information is correct.

"We sure as sugar are. Would ya care to sample some?" Applejack asks her own question. Oh boy, my stomache is ready for this. "Oh my gosh, I do apologise for leavin' you out there friend." Wait. What? I blink then look around, seeing nopony else, I point to myself. She Nods.

"Well, I am a friend of Twilight and Spike here. They kindly helped me out when I was injured about two hours or so ago, they even went so far as to give me a lift to Ponyville." I reply to Applejacks stare. She reaches forward without thinking and grabs my injured right leg and shakes it vigorously. Pain flare through my body.

"Well, once again, I'm Applejack. Pleasure to make yer aquaintance. Might I know yer name?" Her eyes are closed as she shakes my hoof. But when she opens them, she sees my face set into a grimace due to the pain I am feeling. She then hurriedly lets go and starts to apologise. I'm not really paying too much attention, but I am vaguely aware of Twilight supporting me. Holding me up as my legs just want to collapse beneath me.

"Oh my Gosh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't really thinkin' and-!" Applejack began before Twilight interrupted her.

"Wasn't thinking?! He is visbly injured! How could you not see THAT!" Her temper is flaring. This could ruin her chances of becoming firends with Applejack! NO WAY! I will not let thier future friendship be ruined because of a small mistake like this!

"Look, I'm sorry I don't know how-!" Apljack begins to apologise, but this time it's me who interrupts.

"AH, don't t'ch worry yourself lass. T'ain't nothin I canea handle." I pull out a thick Irish accent to throw Twilight for a loop. It seems to work, as she now resembles a gaping fish. Mouth opening and closing due to my sudden accent chage.

"It's might kind o' you to say so, but I must still apologise for causing you harm like that." I can't say no to that honesty of hers. So I give a reasuring smile, hoping that I can give her some comfort.

"Then I forgive ye, 'twas not your fault tha I be injured. No harm, no foul says I." That accent is so thick, you could cut it with a knife. But I can tell that she seems to like it. Hmmm. She likes the Irish accent, didn't know that. I offer my uninjured hoof. "Friends?" I ask, a little hopeful.

"Friends." She smile and takes my hoof and shakes it lightly. YAY! Two whole friends in as many hours! My stomache choses this point to make it's prescience known. "Heh, sorry about that. Soon as I heard food was on offer, I couln't really help meself." I respond back a little embarressed using my normal voice. Wait. Why is Twilight glaring at me like that?

"Still, though. You never did introduce yerself. So, who are you?" Extremely valid question. One that brings a rather interesting flaw to the (brilliant) plan. I don't really have a name. Oh... Nuts and shoes.

"I... I'm not really happy with my name." All of them look at me in confusion. Can you blame them? I don't like my name. Oh who am I kidding? I don't **have** a name! As I look down Spike speaks up.

"Why's that? Everypony is named after they are born. What is it that you don't like about your own name?" The girls both nod at this question. Time to pull some God levels of B... out of my A... Huh, that seems to be a little loop hole. Only for mental thought perhaps, not for verbal use. Maybe?

"Well, to be honest? I was never given a name." Cliched much? I look up as the three of them gasp at this claim. "What?" I ask a little confused.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry for hurting your feelings! Please, I didn't-!" Spike was on the verge of crying because of what I said, so I draw him into a hug. I feel a little ashamed of myself now.

"Don't you worry about it Spike. I have had many years to come to terms with that fact, but due to not having a name, I was able to meet somepony who would later on be the one to give me my current name." With this, he brightens up a little. I am not able to keep myself from wanting to dry his tears. Heh, guess this means that I am very weak towards the tears of children.

"Thanks." He blows his nose with a... handkerchief? Where did **that** come from? Is this _more_ cartoon logic? I thought that I was done with that? "So, um, what **is** your name" He is nervous, not sure how I will respond.

"Yeah, it's rather embarrising really." Oh blessed Lords of Imagination don't fail me now! "The name my friend gave me is..." Oh god, my face is turning red. I can't belive that THIS is the best I could come up with! "... Ranger le Forge!" I close my eyes, just waiting. Waiting for them to call me up on how _stupid_ that name is!

...

...

...?

I do not hear the sound of mocking laughter? Nor do I feel an unpleasant gaze? What does this mean? I slowly open up my eyes. Looking them in the eyes, they are just standing there. Come on the suspense is killing me, just say something! As I am panicing, Twilight steps towards me with a small smile on her face. I gulp. I done goofed.

"Oh, you! That name is lovely. I don't know who has been telling you otherwise, but they are wrong about that name. It suits you rather well, I might add." Eh? What did she just say?

"I have to say that it does fit you good and proper." Applejack gives her two cents on the matter.

"Well... I thank you for that, I always thought that that name sounded ridiculous. It's good to know that I can walk proud with it instead of feeling embarrassed about it." It's at this point that my stomache made its feelings very clear. A loud grumble emits from my belly. It actually seems to echo. How!? Oh! My! God! The embarrassment is real here ponies! I can **feel** the red!

I close my eyes to the loud peals of laughter that errupt around me. I never thought that there would come a day where I would want to did a hole to bury myself in it. Yet, here it is. It takes a while for the three of them to get their breathe back, but a few chuckles still get through.

"I, I, Hehehe. Sorry, sorry, but I belive that is my cue to bring ya'll somethin' to eat." Applejack... Please spare me further torture. Just **please** forget that it ever happened. Please!?

"Well, how can we pass up on the opportunity? Especially when someone has exressed how hungry they are?" That smug grin of yours Twilight! I wish there was a way to remove it, but I cannot bring myself to hurt you. You are just too cute to hit! What? She IS cute! I brand anyone who says otherwise, a LIAR! That is just not the case, I mean all her reactions in the show are just too CUTE!

WAIT! Wait! Wait! Lets keep on track here. Applejacks farm, food, the family re-! As I was bringing my thoughts into order, Applejack begins to ring a bell. Calling out that 'Soups on Everpony!' At this, a whole herd of ponies stampedes towards us. In a flurry of motion and random movement, Twilight, Spike and myself find ourselves seated at a table with a red and white, checkered patteren tablecloth. In a gazebo like structure. How the Hay is this possible? Oh, wait. Cartoon logic. This is going to be a 'thing', isn't it?

Whilst we three are sitting here, Applejack starts to introduce as many members of her extended familiy as possible. Ending in the three who we would see more often than not. Big Macintosh, a stallion earth pony standing at around my height, with a red coat, and orange colored mane and tail styled short and a little spikey fashion. Green eyes, with three white spots under his eyes and yellow colored hooves. His Cutie Mark consists of a green apple, cut in half with the insides exposed.

Apple Bloom, a little earth pony filly about three feet high, with a yellow colored coat, a red colored mane and tail with a pink bow tied into the mane. Her hair is styled in a sort of 'poofy' manner (for lack of a better description). Her eye color is orange, but, just like in the show, she has no cutie mark. But I know when she will get it. All she really needs to learn is a little bit of patience.

Lastly Granny Smith, another earth pony, whom was asleep in her rocking chair, atleast she was untill Applejack woke her up. Leaving her a little disoriented. Her coat is green in color, with her mane and tail bieing white in color. Her hair is styled in a bun for both her mane and her tail, with some strands stuck out in place. Her Cutie mark looks like... an apple pie? Or some sort of apple related food product.

I now sit behind a large pile of food. My stomache grumbles greatly in appreciation of the veritable feast that now lies before me. All the ponies laugh in good humor, but my mind is in full 'Consumer' mode. I mean seriously, who wouldn't want a taste of the sweet nectre from Sweet Apple Acres!

... Was that a double entendre? I did not know that we could use those? Hmmm. I mentally smirk in an evil manner due to finding out about this loop hole. Maybe if I word things correctly... Mwahahahahaha! I think this is going to work! Wait, why is everpony staring at me like that?

"What?" I ask all innocent like.

"Well, that laugh of yours was rather sinister..." Spike responds trailing off in the end.

"Oh! Sorry about that. I just lost myself there." They give me curious looks. "I haven't eaten anything in the last four days, and coupled with the fact that I'm injured. Hehe, well. Lets just say that I see myself eating almost all of it, leaving very little for everypony else." I say rubbing the back of my head, again my stomache growls, lending some much needed credibility to my statement. At this, all the ponies give a small laugh and the good mood returns.

"Well, as appetizing as this all looks, I'm afraid we can't really stay for too long." Twilight gives a little downer to the moment. All the ponies give off a disapointed, 'aww'. Wow. That was rather... How do I even? As I am thinking about random things, Apple Bloom, steps up.

"Aren't you goin' to stay fer brunch?" Oh good God **no**! Those upturned puppy eyes! Twilight give in! Now! Save yourself! Twilight just stares at her for a second before giving in. At this, everypony tucks in, helping themselves to a serving of this and that. Whilst this is happening, I too, am eating my fill. But, as I am stuffing myself stupid, my newly aquirred injuries begin to itch, irritatingly. Must resist temptation! The more I eat the longer the itch lasts. After eating a bit, I remove some bandages, all to the collected shock of the ponies around me. Their gasps clearly expressing their shock and horror at my injuries. After giving myself a once over, I note that my injuries are in fact healing. Haha! Good to know that that magical enchantment still remains.

In case you're wondering, this enchantment was given to me by a friend of mine who is a powerful mage in their own right. This enchantment allows me to heal up if I use my own bodies energies to provide the power. But, I had my friend modify it, so that I can heal with every bit of food that I eat. This one enchantment brought them a great deal of fame back home, as practically everyone wanted the very same enchantment. This even made others seek to make better meals, for as all the world knows, 'A good meal keeps the doctor away!'

Pleased to see this, I continue to eat, slowly healing my recent injuries, turning them into scars. I am so focusedd on this, that I miss the faces of everypony around me as they watch in astonishment, as the more I eat, the more I heal. It doesn't take me too long to get back to full health, and I burp in full contentment. I now look upon all the ponies around me. Finnally noticing the quiet, awestruck stares they all bear. I blink, and look all around me, it's pretty much the same face everwhere I look.

"Uh...? What are you all looking at?" I ask a little unnerved at thier looks. Twilight opens her mouth a few time, before finally finding the words.

"I...you...what was that?" Her question finally comes out. I blink for a bit before my eyes widen, finally realising what she is talking about.

"Remeber when I told you that I would show you my magic?" Her eyes widen at that as she nods. "Well, this is my magic. A friend of mine enchanted my body allowing me to heal my body off any injuries, by eating food." Her eyes cannot get any wider.

"NO WAY!? I have never heard of such a spel;l before! Who is this unicorn that gave you this ability?! Maybe I have heard of them." What she asks is pretty much impossible. So I gave her an unsatisfactory answer.

"Sorry Twilight. I swore an oath to keep their identity secret. There are bad ponies out there who would use my friend for dark purposes, should they ever get captured." This is something that almost happened back home. Before my other friend and I interfered.

"Oh... Ok... I will respect your oath. But I would like to talk to you more on this matter as it may help bring me some insight. Is this alright with you?" She is disappointed, but she does rally a little. Still, I would like to talk with her a little more, so this gives me a good excuse to be alone with her. I... wait what? I want to spend more time with Twillight? We have barely met! Oh for cryin' out loud! This is getting ridiculous! You cannot expect me to fall 'head over hoof' in love with Twilight Sparkle in only a day! That is just not done! It is a Blooo... an absolute disservice to her! I cannot bring myself to let it happen like this, if there is to be anything between us, then It will be after we have come to know each other better.

...What just happened? OK! Slow it down a bit. I breathe deeply a few time as every pony looks at me. In this moment, I figure that it would be in my best interests to say yes to this, if only so I can get to know Twilight better. I mean, I know what she's like in the show, but, this is real life here. There are bound to be things I don't know about her. So I nod giving her my assent. She smiles at that; her smile is still cute.

We remain here for a while as we chat about random things, briefly going over how I got my injuries. I gloss over a great number of things regarding the fight. But I leave them enough to get the general gist, basically, dragon attacked me, we fought, I won. Simple right? After our 'little' meal, Twilight, Spike and I head off to check next upon the weather. Spike is in front with me and Twilight following behind. Though this time around, she does nt have a bulging belly. If only due to my ravenous self eating the dragons shre of the food.

"Huh. There is supposed to be a pegasus pony clearing the coulds right now?" Spike asks the world at large bringing our attention to the, as yet, unclear sky.

"Well, she's not doing a very good job is she?" Sarcasm does not become you Twilight. As I was thinking this, I feel a disturbance in the air. As I look over to it, I see a rainbow colored streak about to crash into us. Acting fast, I push Twilight to safety, taking the full brunt of the out of control pony that crashes into me. resulting in both of us getting a mud bath. With me being face down in the mud with the other pony on top. Nice.

I feel the weight ease off my back. Followed by a femine voice chuckling at my current predicament.

"Hehehe, uh, excuse me?" I pull my head out from the mud and try to stand up to recieve more chuckling. Nice to know that someone finds this amusing! "Here, let me help you." As I turn around and open my eyes, I feel something above me. So I look up at a cloud hanging overhead. Which then proceeds to unleash a heavy shower upon me, cleaning me of the mud that stains my body. Leaving my soping wet mane dripping infront of my eyes. Even more chuckling from the voice above me leaves me feeling a little peevish. Not really an emotion I'm used to.

"Oops, I guess I over did it." I part my hair to allow me to see who is speaking, although I have a good idea. "Um? Uh? How about this?" Next thing I know, I am in the middle of a rainbow colored mini-tornado.

"My very own, patented, 'Rain-Blow-Dry'." Decent name for it. Although, you would have to employ some hairdressers to sort out your customers hair after this. "Nono, don't thank me, you're quite welcome...!" One is not amused. You can see why she is about to laugh herslf into hysterics can't you? Both my mane and tail are a bushy afro styled mess. Coupled with my deadpan face this makes for a leathal comedic combo.

I look this mare full in the face, and my assumption is correct. Rainbow Dash, a pegasus pony; her coat is blue in color,which includes her wings. Her mane and tail are rainbow colored. What do I mean? I mean that it is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue and purple in color. It's also style in a wild, spikey manner. Something that matches her tomboyish attitude. She also has magenta colored eyes, which house a sense of youthful childishness that one does not expect to see in a pony of her calibre. Her Cutie Mark consists of a plain cloud with a rainbow-colored lightning bolt.

As I stare at her, head on, she scrunches her face, trying to hold in her amusement. But to no avail, as within seconds she caves to her own sense humor and laughs outright at he messy afro that I now sport. Spike caves in as well. So, I then look to Twilight, daring her to laugh as well. knowing full well, that it would have been her in that situation, all she does is smile and thanks me for saving her. Awww. I can't stay mad at those upturned eyes of hers! She is just too Cuuute!... Ahem! Right! Uh...back to Rainbow Dash please. Twilight steps forward.

"Let me guess, You're Rainbow Dash." Nice deadpan.

"Theee one and only." So saying, she spings back onto her hooves throwing Spike some small distance away. Before taking to the skies. Then getting in Twilights face, making a little uncomfortable. "Why? You heard of me?" She asks questioningly.

"I heard that you're 'supposed' to be keeping the sky clear!" Nice one Twi. Keep up the pressure and she will crumble...? Wait a second? Since when do I call you Twi? Twilight sighs before continuing. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather." Simple and direct. Should get through easy enough.

"Yeah yeah, that'll be a snap. I'll do it in a jiffy, just as soon as I'm done practicing." That leaves Twilight a little confused.

"Practising for what?" She asks slowly, before RD respons with great emphasis. (What? Do you expect me to honestly write their names in full? I'm calling 'Authors Privileges' here. So HA)... Who the HAY is speaking!? This is getting ridiculous! NO! NOnononono! Focus here Ranger! Do not let this disembodied voice get in the way. It will only lead to Trouble, Trouble, Trouble. With a capital 'T'!

"The Wonderbolts!" She says pointing towards a poster on a nearby wall. "They're going to perform at the celebration tomorrow. And I'm going to show them my stuff." She says with a flourish before landing on a cloud.

" **The** Wonderbolts?" Twilight says with emphasis.

"Yep." Says RD

" **The** most talented fliers in all of Equestria?" Twilight questions further.

"That's them." responds RD.

"Pfft! _Please_ , they'd never accept a pegasus who can't even keep the sky clear for one measily day!" Wow! Twilight! I never new that you could sound so deviously smirky. Way to throw down the gauntlet. RD looks pretty offended at that.

"Hey! I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat!" OH! Nows the opportunity to see if her claim is really true! At this, Twilight accepts the challenge.

"Prove it." Nice smirk there Twi. I have to say, it does look good on her.

With this RD, proceeds to rush around, dashing through clouds by the ton. Bucking them ramming them or outright crushing them.

"Loop the loop around and...WHAM! What did I say? Ten. Seconds. Flat." Look at that smug grin she is wearing. Just wait till she hears my little declaration about her performance! "I'd never leave Ponyville hanging."I take a glance at Twilight and Spike and to my amusement, they are gobsmacked. Their mouths are just hanging open, wait where'd that sheep come from?

"He, you should see the look on your face!" She swims around us but come back in close. "You're a laugh Twilight Sparkle! I can't wait to hang out some more." As she is about to take off though. I decide to speak on my observations.

"Ahem. Before you leave... You did say that you could clear the sky in ten seconds flat. Yes?" I ask.

"Yeah... So?" She asks a little confused.

"Well, I timed you there and I do have to agree that you did take ten seconds to clear the sky. **However**! You would have done it in **seven** seconds if you didn't add that flourish at the end." With this, lets see here reaction.

"What!? You...!? How!?" Hehehe. She is incredibly flustered now. So I let a smug grin form on my face. Oh. She then brings her face in close to mine, glaring at me for my criticism. We are pretty much nose to nose here... Hmmm. Would it be rather bad of my to give her lips a quick kiss? We **are** pretty close after all, this would make her blush to no end! As I am thinking about how to fluster RD even more, Twilight gets in between us, pretty much wedging herself in the middle to try and seperate us.

"I am sorry about my friend! He is not normally like this." She apologises to RD for my actions before giving me a VERY pointed look. I just give her a look that pretty much says 'What did I do?' But I do realise that I was being rather snarky with RD, so I had best apologise.

"True. I'm not normally like this, but, you do have to admit Rainbow Dash. That the wonderbolts are professionals, who will be looking for that same degree of professionalism in any possible recruits, no? This is something that I believe any organisation will be looking for in a recruit. Sure you can be who you want to be, but they will be looking for someone who will do the job they are given properly." I say in a mollifying manner.

"... You do have a point. But, you could have told me in a less snarkey way." What RD says is true. That was not really very nice of me was it?

"Yes. I was out of order for saying it in the manner in which I did. I apologise for offending you." I lower my head in apology, to show my sincerity.

"Ok. Apology accepted. Well, see you around." With this she takes off.

"well. You certainly offended her. If I hadn't stepped in, who know what would have happened?" Twilight speaks to me. Getting her point across loud and clear. Huh. This is actually helping her to work out friendship problems isn't it? I smile in my head, but keep my face neutral.

"Indeed. You know... for someone who hasn't got many friends, you do seem to have a nack for handling friendship problems." I point this out carefully. Not trying to give too much away.

"Who, me?" Twilight points to herself, and I nod in confirmation. "Oh, you're just saying that. Outside of Spike and yourself, I don't really have any friends." Hmm. Is that a regretful tone I detect there? It probably is, but, she should just be a little more patient. She'll get a number of friends here in Ponyville.

After this little meet with Rainbow Dash, we then proseed to the Town Hall where we will meet up with Rarity putting up the decorations. Spike, being on the ball states as such.

"Decorations." He starts normally, before his tone changes into one of adoration. "Beautiful."

"Yes, the decor is coming along nicely, this oughta be quick. I'll be at the library in no time. Beautiful indeed." Twilight says in a cheerful mood.

"I don't think that's what he was refering to Twilight." A small smile on my face as I see his love struck face.

"Oh? What was he refering to then?" Twilight asks back, a little confused. Spike speaks with a very adoring tone.

"Her." With that, Rarity, a unicorn pony like Twilight now stands here before us. Her coat a very pale grey, practically white in a certain light, with her mane and tail color being purple with different gradients, ranging from a deep purple to a light purple similar to that of Twilight's coat. She has it style up in curls, starting large and ending small tight curves. She also has dark blue colored eyes and her Cutie Mark consists of three light-blue colored diamonds resting upon her flank.

She is currently a little bit preoccupied with sorting out the finishing touches to the decorations inside the town hall. Should I help her out here?

"How are my spines? Are they straight?" I... words...Little pink hearts are floating from his head as he stares dreamily at her. Another bit of that ' _loco_ ' cartoon logic. I don't think I'll ever come to understand how it works. Twilight just rolls her eyes, smiling and walks forward with me at her side.

"Good afternoon-" Twilight begins before being politely interrupted.

"Just a moment please, I'm 'in the zone', as it were." Fully focused on her task she asks us to wait for her to be finished.

"Oh, yes. Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why Rarity you are a talent." Oh yes, she does have a habit for speaking in the third person doesn't she? Oh, pooh! She is going to scream-! "Now how can I help you...AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! Oh my stars, darling! whatever happened to your coiffure?" That... wasn't what I expected to come from her mouth. Wait? Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity didn't bother reacting to my injuries untill I made them known. Will I have to deal with being sidelined in a number of circumstances? Well...? It's probably for the best that I don't get **too** attached to any ponies around here. Don't want them being used against me.

"Ranger, Are you there?" Twilight brings my mind back to the here and now.

"Sorry about that, I was miles away." Looking at her, I can see that my words have not had a very good effect on her, if the slight tightening of her eyes is anything to go by.

"Well, now that you are back with us, _she_ has asked about the state of your mane. Would you care to answer her?" Twilight. This tone does not become you. Leave it outside, and away from your thoughts, your mind is needed to handle the task that you were sent here to complete.

"Oh. Right. Um, well? Just get me a brush and I'll be good to go." I'm not very happy with the current style tha RD put on me. Still, nothing a quick brush down won't cure.

"Oh no! I could not just let you go with just that, come with me!" With that being said, she then gets behind me and starts herding me out from the building. WAIT! This is not how this should be! This should be Twili-! OH SHHHH...! Rats!

"Wait a-! Where are you taking me!" My question goes unanswered, I look back at Twilight and Spike and call for them to help me. Spike, just floats in the air and uses his tail as a propellor to provide forward momentum. And Twilight... I am not sure her eyes should be twitching like that. Nevertheless, they both follow on, both in polar opposite moods.

 ***Some Time Later***

My mane and tail are now styled in a more gentlemanly fashion, more straight for one! But lets be real here. I don't suit this style, and rarity actually agrees with me. Isn't that odd? So I just mess up my hair, returning it back to the state it was when I first met Twilight. Rarity, as much as she hates to admit it, **does** admit that this does suit me more than any others she had planned. In self defence, I ask her if she can find a suitable outfit for my friend Twilight. Twilight glares at me at what she belives to be a form of betrayal. Oh boy, I'm going to have fun explaining myself on this one aren't I?

No! No. Uh-uh, too green, too yellow too puffy, not puffy enough, too frilly, too... shiny. 'Gasp'. Now go on my dear, you were telling me where you're from" After a **very** fast outfit montage, rarity finds one that does suit Twilight quite well. Things only get worse for Twilight when Rarity grabs the corset strings in her mouth and draws them ever tighter, seemingly in an effort to stop Twilight from breathing.

"I've...been...sent...from...Canterlot...to...!" That's as far as she got.

"HUH! Canterlot! Oh, I am so envious! The glamour, the sofistication, oh I have always dreamed of living there! I can't wait to hear all about it. We are going to be the best of friends, you and I." I never realised how much of a drama queen she is. It kind of changes your opinion about somepony when you meet them for real and they are a bit more or less than what you percieve. And isn't she getting a little too close for comfort Twilight? I can't help but notice that you do seem a bit uncomfortable with how close she is. Maybe it is just me, and I am reading into it too much. Most likely she finds the idea of being friends with Rarity a bit much.

"Emerald! Oh, what was I thinking? Let me get you some rubies!" With this she moves off, giving us some much needed space for free thought. Or in this case, a **very** quick escape route.

"Quick, before she decides to dye my coat a new color!" In fear of the fashionista, she runs right past me and Spike, leaving us both behind. Spike just stands there sighing happily staring at Rarity, I see what he is staring at and grab him by the scruff of his neck and throw him on my back and make to leave the building. Not before giving her our apologies due to us both having official business here, and the fact that we were on a tight schedule. She readily forgives us and sees us off, but I give her my word, that when we have the time, we'll come by for a proper visit. With this I run into town, looking for any sign of Twilight. Eventually spotting her on a path leading out of Ponyville, I storm off after her, not very keen on leaving her alone.

After eventually catching up to her, I just walk alongside her, giving her some room but letting her know that I am still at her side. Spike lets loose yet _another_ sigh.

"Wasn't she wonderful?" Those eyes of yours are clouded by a childs first crush. Whether it will actually go somewhere is up for debate.

"Foucs, Cassanove." What the HAY! You can reference things from EARTH! How come I didn't remember that!? Am I so thick headed that I missed out oon something as simple as this!? "What's next on the list?" Both her tone and way of speech bring Spike down from cloud nine.

"Ahem. Oh, uh, music. It's the last thing on the list." After he said that, we then hear music. From somewhere? We all look around, then at each other, before deciding to follow the sounds to find the source. Eventually we find it; a group of birds set up in as choir, being conducted by Fluttershy. A yellow coated pegasus pony with pink, sort of loosely curled pink mane and tail. She has aqua colored eyes and upon her flank are three pink butterflies represtenting her Cutie Mark. As we are watching, one of the birds goes slightly out of tune, causing Fluttershy to call a halt to the preceedings.

"Oh my, um, stop please everyone. Um, excuse me sir? I mean, no offense, but you're rythm is a teenie, tiny bit off." After saying her piece she flies back to the ground, leaving Twilight and me to move forward so that we might speak with her. _Oh joy._

"Now follow me everyone. A-one, a-two, a-one two three-!" Twilight interupts loudly

"Hello!" Fluttershy sqeeks out an OH! With her bird choir flying off in differnt directions. "Oh my! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten off your birds. I just came here to check on the music, and it's sounding beautiful." Her apologetic voice does help ease some of the pegasus ponies nerves, I can see that. But as Twilight continues, the others nervousness, keeps her from speaking freely. Leaving an awkward pause which leads Twilight to glance at me for help. I stare at her for but a moment, give her a reasuring smile and take a pace forward to try and get some sort of dialogue flowing.

"Hello, I'm Ranger le Forge, and this is my friend Twilight Sparkle. We do apologise for interupting as we have, but we couldn't help ourselves." I speak slowly, calmly and with quiet reasurrance, so as to provide Fluttershy with a more stable atmosphere, one hopefully, where she can speak with us. Even if only a little.

"We originally came to Ponyville to check up on the progress of all the varied preperations going on here. The music just so happened to be last on the list, and when we heard the music... I'm sorry, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to interupt it. It was honestly one of the most beautiful sounds we had ever heard." She is looking at us both, I hope that what I say is getting through to her, I'd hate for us all to feel awkward in each others prescience.

"Do you, have a name?" I speak slowly and quietly, with a small friendly smile on my face.

"I'm... I'm Fluttershy." Her voice **is** quite, but it is still distinguishable. Hah! That was different in the show. She isn't hiding her face, **and** there is the fact that she is looking at us both with a small, nigh imperceptible smile touching her features.

"Fluttershy. Cute name." I am happy at the fact that we were able to make some progress (however small) with her. Getting her out of her shell is not easy when you are first introduced to her...Wait, is that a blush? Twilight then speaks in the same tone of voice that I have, getting what I am striving for.

"Well, looks like your birds are back. Keep up the good work, and once again, I'm sorry for my interruption." A calm voice holding genuine emotion on her part. Good on you Twilight, keep her comfortable.

"It's alright." The small voice of Fluttershy responds, again with that faint hint of a smile on her lips.

"Ok." Twilight turns away, with me leaving with a bow of my head in a sign of farewell. "Well, that was easy." As Twilight is speaking to Spike who walks out from behind the bush, Fluttershy suddenly gasps.

"A baby Dragon!" She declare loudly, all before she moves with such speed, that it would impress RD. This speed however comes at a cost. Both me and Twilight are rammed aside, with me landing beneath Twilight to make sure she does not injure herserlf.

"Oh, I'd never seen a baby dragon before, oh, he's so cute!" She is all gushy over him, I cannot help the frown that creeps onto my face. Spike meanwhile, enjoys the attention, and rubs it in our faces as we lie there on the ground.

" _Well, well, well!_ " Don't you take that tone with me _laddie_ , not if you want to keep your scales the same color.

"Oh my, he talks, I didn't know dragons could talk? Thats just so, so... incredibly wonderful! I, I just don't know what to say!" Even when quiet you can still hear the great amount of enthusiasm she holds. A purple aura surrounds Spike, and he floats all the way over to Twilights back, who then declares that it is time for us to go.

"Well, in that case, we'd better be going." She adds a subtle tone to her voice which flies right over Fluttershy's head.

"Wait, wait! What's his name?" Heh. Wow, she can be quite persistant can't she? I confess, that I do find this little trait of hers to be rather endearing.

"I'm Spike." Spike replies to Fluttershy's question. Looks like this will take a while.

"Hi Spike, I'm Fluttershy." She is speaking a heck of a lot clearer to him than she had to us. "Wow! A talking Dragon!" What? She's still hung up on that part? "And, what do dragons talk about?"

"Well... what do you want t otalk about?" Spike asks, wanting some clarification before he starts to talk.

"Absolutely everything." With this declaration from Fluttershy, Twilight gives a heafty sigh of resignation. A small frown on my face I trot up to walk side by side with her, to try and give her some semblance of companionship in what will be a rather _long_ walk.

"Well, I started out a a little purple and green egg..." Spike begins, before trailing off on his life story to date.

 ***Some Time Later***

Just walking in silience, listening to somepony talk about their whole life can be a bit dull if you are not paying that much attention to it, can be rather taxing on ones patience. Twilight, seems to have reached the end of her rope by the time we arrived at the library.

"I am so sorry, how did we get here so fast? This is where I'll be staying while in Ponyville, and my poor baby dragon needs his sleep." Layin' it on a bit thick there, aren't you Twilight, I thought with a smirk clearly visable on my face.

"No I don't." Twilight then bumps him off of her back. "Aaah!" And thumps back onto the floor.

"Awww, wook at that? He is so sweepy, he cannot keep his wittle bawance." Ok, I take back what I said before. **This** is laying it on **very** thick, I have seen better attempts at lying from a kid who's hand has been caught - quite literally - in the cookie jar. Fluttershy flies down and picks him up and cradles him, as one would cradle a new born baby in her arms.

"Oh you poor thing, we simply must get him to bed." With that, she then flies into the library with Twilight following in a near panic. I just stand there and wait, with but a few seconds Twilight pushes Fluttershy out the front door. Rather rude of her if you ask me.

"Yes, yes. We'll get right on that, well, good night!" Twilight then shuts the door closed, quite firmly in our faces. Leaving Fluttershy wide-eyed at what just occured. I clear my throat to show that she is not alone. She flinches then turns to face me.

"Sorry about that. She has had a rather trying day and the events have probably just caught up to her, leaving her a little tired. I hope you can forgive her rather... blunt manner of speech this past minute or so." I say on behalf of Twilight. Fluttershy is a nice pony and I wouldn't want any of this to make her feel bad about herself.

"No, it's quite alright, I was rather forward myself, and I didn't really give her much personal space." Saying so, her ears flop down in a gesture of sadness.

"Don't you worry yourself none. Belive me when I tell you that there will come a time where the two of you can call yourselves friends, if not the **best** of friends." I give as much assurance as I can, wondering if it will help her feel better.

"Thank you for your kind words. Um, I know it is rather rude of me, but, um you see...?" She trails off, eyes glancing away from me. Well, lets head this off before it can get uncomfortable.

"Is it about my scars?" I ask bluntly. At this Fluttershy flinches and seems to try to make herself smaller. In response, I place a hoof reasurringly on her shoulder, drawing her attention to me. I give a small, friendly smile and she smiles in turn with a faint blush on her cheeks...? What is it with these ponies and the blushing?

"Don't you worry about them. They are as old as I am, carrying tales from my youth uptill today. They are my medals and badges of past triumphs and losses, I do not begrudge anyone for staring at them or for asking where I got them. It is all 'par for the course' as they say." I give her my honest opinion on my scars and what I think about everyone who stares at them.

"Really? You don't really mind all of those staring eyes?" She appears to be shocked at my nonchalance. As I am about to answer, we hear a loud 'SURPRISE!' come from inside the library, surprising us both. Oh, right. Pinkie Pie's surprise welcome party for Twilight is going on right now. I step back to allow Fluttershy to step up to the door, she pauses and turns back to me.

"Aren't you joining the party?" She asks.

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I'll pass on this one. I have never been one for parties of any sort, I am what you would call a 'party pooper'." Wait! Pooper! Poop!? I can say 'POOP?!

Awesome.

"I'll just be a drag, and most likely make other ponies upset with my attitude, so I'll just wander around Ponyville untill the celebration starts. Now don't let me keep you from the party, you go in there and have some fun. Trust me, I'll be fine." I smile, knowing full well that everything I said is the honest truth. I have never liked parties, and I always make others depressed due to the atmosphere I give off. Fluttershy looks a little unsure of herself but in the end goes inside. Leaving me alone for the night.

I take this opportunity to think of everything that happened today as I walk towards the town hall, waiting for Her arrival. While thinking of Her, I start to think of how and **why** she turned from Luna into Nightmare Moon. Yes they do explain it, but they never really give any actual details do they? My interpretation of events is that Princess's Luna and Celestia, were each others only friends, and that after they had grown into their powers each of them started to drift apart from one another. Their royal duties only exasperates matters as they cannot get as much time for themselves, not even for them to talk about any insecurities that either of them may be having.

Way back then, Luna saw all the ponies that followed the pair of them, and like her sister, most probably sought to make the days of their subjects happy and peacful. Her sister gave the ponies a bright and beautiful day, whilst she gave them a calming and sheltered night. She must have felt pride in her work as she hoped that others would enjoy the night as suredly as she does. So when, as the days and nights passed, she noticed that all the ponies were awake and playful during the day, they went indoor and seemingly to her, shunned her beautiful night. This must have caused some anxiety with Luna as she may have started to see herself as having no real worth, other than being a pony who brings about the night. Maybe she wanted to convey her insecurities to Celestia but, agian royal duties kept them seperated so she was left to herself. Alone. I feel a lump in my throat as I try to imagine how she must have felt at the time, but... I just cannot.

I think that, after a great deal of time had passed, Celestia may have finally come to the realisation that her sister was being sidlined if not outright ignored by the other ponies. So she may have gone to talk to her but, alas, it was already to late, as Luna had given up all love for her sister and gave into her dark emotions. She then fought to gain control, one way or another, just so that she could get the attention she so sorely desired. Now don't go on thinking that she did this all for power. No! I think she did it becuase she was **lonely** , yes she wanted someone to pay attention to her and this was the only way she saw that would work.

I grit my teeth as I think of how she must have felt. It is saddening to think that she just wanted someone to talk to, is it really too much to ask for someone to confide in or ust someone to vent your frustrations against?! As my own emotions reach a boiling point, I raise a hoof and slam it down to the ground, causing a spiders web of cracks to spread around me for a few feet. I then breath deeply, and continue on my way, aiming to wait at the town hall for Twilight and all the others to turn up.

Eventually, I reach my destination, feeling more hopeless by the second as I try to com up with some sort of plan to get Luna back without violence. Insofar, I am having no such luck. I just plod on into the building, right now, just looking for a quiet place to think, to calm down and prepare for the night and all the events that will transpire here. I eventually walk upto a wall and lean against it and close my eyes, just letting time pass and waiting.

 ***Some Time Later***

I did not have to wait for too long as proups of ponies start to show up inside the hall, all smiles and happy due to the recent festivities. I just crack the bones in my neck, shoulder my warhammer and move out into the press of bodies, knowing that there will be a space kept around me. I give myself to the air and the elements around me to see if the mane six are all here, just letting my senses go, I feel Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are all here. Leaving Twilight the last one to arrive with the last few straglers.

I look over my shoulders as I feel Twilight and spike arriving, nodding at their arrival I turn my attention back to the stage as Fluttershy has her bird choir prepped and ready to go. I the feel Twilight and Spike come up to my side, so I turn to se them.

"I had wondered where you had gone." Twilight begins. "Why didn't you come inside the library back then?" She asks.

"I was having a quick word with Fluttershy until I heard a loud noise inside followed swiftly by the sounds of merriment. And as I had told Fluttershy, I do not do well at parties, they are something that I am not a big fan of." Twilight opens her mouth but... guess who shows up.

"WHAT!? You don't like parties!? How can anypony **not** like parties!? They are sooo fun!" Yeah, real subtle there Pinkie.

"Look, miss I have my reasons for not liking parties but I am not willing to talk about them right now. Suffice to say that I have **nver** had a good experience with them." There is some truth to my words but also plenty of B... involved as well.

"Why not?" Pinkie asks quietly. I am not very comfortable telling a lie like this, but saved by the chorus...

Fluttershy's bird choir starts to sing their music at her instruction as spotlights shine upon the stage revealing Mayor Mare who steps to the front of the stage where she waits for the music to end. She is a tan colored earth pony with wavy styled mane and tail coloed grey with a light grey streak throught it. She has blue eyes, and her Cutie Mark is a tan colored scroll tied with a blue ribbon.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, as Mayor of Ponyville it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration." She announces in a clear and concise voice, which results in the crowd cheering in joy. "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise , and celebrate this, the longest day of the year."

Twilight looks out the window to the sky, her eyes expressing her concern. I raise an eybrow to this and follow her line of sight, what I see is four stars moving behind the moon which then which then flashes revealing that there is no longer a pony shaped shadow upon its surface. A frown mars my features as I realise exactly what this means, Slowly I make eye contact with Twilight and I see that the fear is taking hold. Moving slowly, I move close to her side, giving her some confidence.

"And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land. The very pony who gives us the sun and moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria..." All the ponies around us are holding in their excitment, waiting for the grand reveal. Oh yes, a _grand_ reveal it will be! "Princess Celestia!" The bird choir sings out an introductory fare as the spotlights light up the place where she is to appear. Rarity pulls a cord to unveil... nothing. As all the ponies around us start to question the Princesses abscence, Twilight mutters aloud.

"This can't be good." Way to point out the obvious.

"Remain calm every pony, there must be a resonable explanation." Mayor calls out to the assembly.

"Oh, oh I love guessing games. Is she hiding?" Pinkie Pie announces to Twilight before looking at the floor...? Why would she be there?

"She's gone." Rarity calls out to us all, causing a great gasp to come from the crowd.

"Oooh, she's good." Pinkie... yeah. "AAAAAH!" That got my attention, as indeed it got everypony elses. And for good reason, I mean there is now a blue-purple colored fog appearing upon the balcony where Rarity is standing. It then disperses to reveal...

"Oh no, Nightmare Moon!" Twilight hushedly intones, enough for me and Spike to hear, but not every other pony. Spike then faints, collapsing onto the floor, unconscious.

Nightmare Moon is a black colored alicorn pony who's mane and tail are blue in color with a translucent blue border, there also appears to be, what looks like stars in her mane and tail. She has teal colored eyes with slit irises akin to those of a cat, and her Cutie Mark consists of a crescent moon on a purple background. She is wearing a light blue colored helmet and chest guard adorned with her Cutie Mark.

"Oh, my beloved subjects, it has been so _long_ since I've seen your precious, little sun loving faces." Nightmare Moon speaks out in a controlled fashion.

"What did you do to our Princess!?" Rainbow Dash calls out before trying to fly into combat. She doesn't get too far however, as Applejack catches her tail in her mouth and speak with gritted teeth.

"Whoa there nelly!" Good save Applejack! Do not let her go, fore if you do, then she will most likely be hurt. Nightmare Moon just chuckles at their antics.

"Why? Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" She is a little agitated by the end there.

"Oh, oh **more** guessing games. Um, Hokey Smokes? How about Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty Black Snooty-!" Again thank you Applejack for the quick save. Cupcake to the mouth will shut her up for a bit. Nightmare ignores this in favour of flying towards Fluttershy.

"Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been **imprisoned** for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?!" She flies over to Rarity and hold her chin up with her mane, that is until Twilight gets her full attention.

"I did! And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!" With this declaration, all the poines attention is drawn to her and they gasp in shock.

"Well, well, well. Some pony who remembers me." As she speaks, I focus all my attention on her, gauging her reactions and emotional state and from what I can tell, she appears to be happy that some pony has remembered her. She also seems to feel happy due to the attention she is getting from every pony here. "Then you also know why I am here." This comes out as a statement, rather than a question.

"You're here to... to...*gulp*." Twilight... ok, this is where I come in.

"You are here to bring about eternal night to all of Equestria." I call out with some force, drawing yet another gasp from the audience and gaining the attention of Nightmare Moon.

"Well, well? Another pony who remembers me?" She does feel a lot happier about that revelation. Hopefully with this, I can help facilitate her return as Luna.

"Indeed, I do know who you are. I wonder though? How many of the ponies here know of your true origins?" I call out to the masses, wondering if any of them know anything about Nightmare Moons past history. As I look about the hall, I see a great deal of confusion on almost every pony, with the excpetions being Twilight, Nightmare and myself, nopony else seems to know anything. _Well_... that's disappointing.

"Apparently not." Disappointment laces my voice. "Allow me to educate you a little with regards to her identity. She was once known as Princess Luna, younger sister to Princess Celestia!" Again the crowd gasps, with Twilight staring at me in shock. Why though? She should know that because of the book she read.

"Hmwahahaha, indeed you are correct, but I gave up that name when I became Nighttmare Moon! As for the rest of you ponies, you had best remember this day, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night, will last, Forever!" Her laughter rings out, while her mane and tail cause lightning to lash out from the air above us. Causing the ponies to tremble in fear.

Twilight flinches and cowers along with the other ponies, I just stare strongly at Nightmer Moon wanting this to end peacefully. I can not however just let this moment stand, I reach back and grab the haft of Sternguard, and draw it forth. Raising it high, I bring it down with geat force! **CRACK**! A network of cracks spreads out from the impact point reaching many meters away from me. Nightmare Moon gasps lightly and stares at me, not just her though, **all** of the ponies stare at me.

"Nightmare Moon!" I call out. "I honestly want this encouter to end as peacefully as possible, but know that I will defend my fellow ponies with all that I have! Do not let this day end in violence, let us part for now in peace, so that in time we may speak to each other and help one another sort out our differences." I never let my eyes leave hers as I speak my mind. I really want to help her, but I cannot do that in these conditions. She stares at me, mouth slightly agape one hoof slightly lifted.

"Who are you to speak so to me?" Her brows furrow a little, showing her displeasure.

"My name is Ranger le Forge. You wouldn't be the first royal I have interacted with, nor are you the first one I have been rather blunt with. Nightmare, I will not pretend to understand your feelings at the time of your transformation, nor will I think of your actions as being evil." I can feel the stares coming from everypony, including Nightmare and Twilight.

"What I see before me is a pony who is terribly lonely." A slight gasp escapes Nightmare's lips. It is so quiet that everyone seems to have missed it. "I see a pony who has had to deal with being overshadowed by one whom they loved. Nightmare... I just want to talk to you. I just want to help you through this. I-!" As I speak my mind, she interupts.

"ENOUGH!" She shouts, causing lightning to scatter through the air. While all other ponies drop to the floor, I remain standing, not even flinchin. She then jumps down to the floor of the hall and storms upto my face. "Enough of your words! Your word means nothing to me, I will bring about an endless night, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" She glares at me, but I don't back down. I only release my hammer, dropping it to the floor with a clang, then bringing my hoof up and giving her a comforting hug. Why? I did it because I saw tears in her eyes, small ones yes, but tears all the same.

I hold her tight, feeling her body tense up at my unexpected movement. I don't speak, not making another move other than to give as comforting a hug as I can. I can feel her tense body slowly relax, easing into my embrace. Am I getting through to her? It is possible, but I cannot get overconfident, this is one heck of a difficult thing I am trying to accomplish. But it will be well worth the effort. In a sudden movement, Nightmare pushes me away from her, I stare her in the face, and see tears falling down her cheeks. As I step up, she steps back shaking her head, her horn lighting up preparing for a spell. I stop my advance wanting her to trust me. She looks at me again in the eyes, tears still falling, she speaks to me.

"I-I cannot accept this. You are not going to get me to fall for that so easily!" She cries tears staining her feature, she then turns into a cloud of fog and flees outside through an open window. I follow her with my eyes, my heart feeling heavy. Knowing full well, that I had missed in all probabliltiy **the** only chance at turning her back without violence.

"Ranger... are you... alright?" Twilight slowly walks up to my side as I gaze at the place Nightmare had fled.

"...*Sigh*... I... I don't know Twilight. I thought that I could end this without any need to resort to violence, I thought I had her, if only for a moment!" My frustration is clearly evident. "And _now_ , I don't even know where to find her, nor do I know **HOW** to turn her back! IF I had only been able to convince her..." I clench my teeth and stare at the ground, feeling beyond frustrasted at my failure. I then feel a hoof on my shoulder so I turn to see who placed it there. It was Twilight. A gentle expression adoring her features.

"Ranger, you did everything possible to end this in as peaceful manner as you could, yet I do not think that this is the end of it though. I still think you have a chance, and I want you to know that I will be there to help you do that." I stare at her, blinking. My expression then softens, with me nodding showing my understanding. "Still, I think that the Elements of Harmony will be a key factor in turning her back into Princess Luna. Can you help me look for them?" I stare at her hard.

"Twilight. I told you this morning did I not? That I would help you with every fiber of my being? I intend to keep that promise, so... Where do we get started?" I give a determined smile, full prepared in my heart for the upcoming confrontation.

A/N

Phew! This took me a while to write up! I really hope that you are all enjoying it as much as I am.

Incase anyone is wondering, I had drawn up inspiration for Luna's past from watching the songs 'Lullaby for a Princess' by (Dane Larson - ponyphonic) and sung by (Christina Ellis), and 'The Moon Rises' written by (Dane Larson - ponyphonic) and sung by (Kristen Calvin).

I had felt far more sympathy for Luna after watching them both, so there is my reason for my OC acting as he had.

I hope you will enjoy any and all future chapters that I have instore. Please feel free to review and comment on how I have done so far, any and all critique is welcome as I want to make this story as interesting as I can.

See ya around!


	6. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 5.**

With nothing more than a smile in response, Twilight grabs the unconcious Spike, throws him across her back and heads for the door with me in hot pursuit. She then uses her magic to open it and we charge at speed in the direction of the library in order to find some clue as to Nightmare Moons location. I already now this but I am stuck due to the fact that I cannot divulge my pre-knowledge of their world and history, or else I may cause harm for future events that may or may not be irreversible. While my mind wonders on varied thoughts, we arrive at the library in short order with Twilight heading straight upstairs with Spike so that she can put him to bed for the night.

I remain down in the library proper and reminisce about how I met one of my best friends. When I had first met him, I had taken him to be a... rather eccentric mage-librarian with a penchant for shakespearean type dialogue, which oddly enough was focused more in the vain of insults. I could hardely believe it when I first heard him speak in such a manner, so bad was it infact that I had to literally look up what he was even saying so that I could translate it into english. And **boy** was I surprised at how well he could insult and curse in such a unique and utterly uncompromising way!

My mind is brought back to the present as Twilight comes down the stairs and proceeds to rampage through the shelves in search of a certain book, one which, I just so happen to be standing besides.

"Elements! Elements! Elements! Uugh! How can we save Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony!?" Twilight exclaims as she pulls various books towards her; she is not a very tidy librarian pony is she?

"And just what **are** the Elements of Harmony?" What and How?! I look over in shock, as Rainbow Dash seems to appear from out of nowhere inside the library."And how is it that the two of you know about Nightmare Moon, huh?! Are you both spies!?" She says getting right in Twilights face.

You know? She can seems to be far more abrasive and headstrong when you actually meet her in the flesh.

"Whoa!" She squeaks as AppleJack- how in the hay did they all get in here? I mean really? Are they practitioners of the ninja arts or something?!

"Simmer down sally, they ain't no spies, but they sure do know whats going on, don't ya Twilight? Ranger?" Oh boy, that tone right there leaves no room for argument Twilight, just speak up and give her what she wants and I'll help fill in when required.

"I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon, some mysterious objects know as the Elements of Harmony are the only thing that can stop or help her. But I don't know what they are, where to find them, I don't even know what they do!" That's my que.

"Ahem. Perhaps **this** might be of some help, no?" I relpy hold up a certain book.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asks.

"This book just so happens to be titled 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide'." I say walking up to the group.

"How did you find that?" She queries wide eyed.

"It was under 'E'. I dearly suggest that, from this point forward, you properly organise and catalogue all the books in this library." Deadpan. Gotta love it.

"Oh." Awww, she is so cute when she blushes like that.

"There are six Elements of Harmony but only five are known, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty." I galnce over at the other five ponies and pretty much agree with which pony gets which element. "The sixth, is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five Elements, was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now t-t-t-the Everfree Forest!" OK! All-ahead STOP!

What is this!? I mean... What the flying F...! FFFF! FFPPPTTT! Gaaah! This is just impossible! The entirety of the background just phased out leaving us at the entrance to the Everfree Forest. And would you just look at them! They act as though this is a perfectly natural part of every-day life! I cannot cope with this shhhh...shhhh! Pete's Sake! Come on! Just once? Just moooo... mootttttthhh! I WILL utter a blistering stream of profanities upon this world even if I have to die to do so, do you hear me!?

And do you want to know what makes this situation worse? I don't have my hammer with me. Yes, my weapon was left behind at the library, **and** we are about to enter a forest where we will have to fight the local wildlife nearly every step of the way. My right eye twitches as an unamused smile makes its presence felt, leading me to once again glance at the other ponies whom are all slightly leaning back in fear of the place. That is untill Pinkie Pie speaks.

"Whee, let's go!" She says taking a few steps forward before coming to an abrupt halt at Twilights interference.

"Not so fast. Look, I appreciate the offer but I'd really rather do this on my own." Wait, what about me?

"No can do sugar-cube, we sure ain't letting any friend" Wow, look at that cringe. "of ours go into that creppy place alone. We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple." Saying this she and all the others start walking into the forest ahead of us, with Pinkie falling behind to give her two cents.

"Especially if there's candy apples in there." I blink. what more needs to be done? "What? Those things are good." Aaand she walks off. Glancing at Twilight, I see a slightly dejected look upon her face so I try to cheer her up.

"Don't you worry about a thing Twilight, no matter what happens from this point forward, know that we are in this together." Determination laced my voice, and a smile graces my lips. Well, can you blame me? I mean the elements are already with uss-! Oh god no! They are ahead of us! "Whoa nelly! They are getting ahead of us , we had best catch up to them!" I grab Twilight and start to move at speed after the others, practically dragging Twilight along behind me.

"Whoa! I can walk you know!?" She calls out indignantly, but I just ignore that and, if anything, pull on her even faster untill we catch up to the lead group. Reunited, we travel a ways in silence with me keeping myself alert for any kind of agression from the animals around us.

"So, none of you have been in here before?" Twilight asks quietly.

"Oh, heavens no! Just look at it, it's dreadful!" Rarity answers, her voice leaden with fear.

"And it ain't natural, folks say that it don't work the same as Equestria." Applejack speaks up, sounding a little nervous.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight responds, fear now crepping into her mind.

"No pony knows!" Oh yeah, nice work Rainbow! We really need them to feel terror as we travel through this place! "You know why?" She is creeping up on the other three ponies in such a weird manner. I feel like I should be the adult in this situation but Applejack has that covered. Slightly.

"Rainbow, quit it!" Yeah. Like that is going to work. I even think deadpan, that probably means it is my special talent or something.

"Cause every pony who has ever come in... never, comes, OUT!" **CRACK!** We all hold still, frozen in place at that ominous sound. I can only utter a two words.

"Oh, pooh." With that, the cliff that we were all standing on then collapses beneath our hooves, sending everyone except the two pegasai tumbling down the steep slope towards the chasm at the bottom.

As we all tumble down, I only wonder about the how. I mean, in the show it was Nightmare Moon who did it out of a malicous intent, but I am pretty sure that with the confrontation this time around that she could not have done anything like that. Or it could be that she did it to try and keep a sense of solitude **due** to said confrontation. Oh there is so much I can try to theorise but the immediate threat to our lives needs to be sorted out first. Skidding down the hill, I see Rarity and Pinkie being save by the two pegasai and Applejack saving herself, leaving only me and Twilight.

Who then starts sliding over the-! Leaping forward and sliding on my belly, I catch her just as she slides over the edge, catching her hoof and halting her descent. Breathing a sigh of relief, I then realise that she won't be able to understand Applejacks' role as the Element of Honesty; thinking so I start to pull Twilight up. **CRACK!** You know? I hate my life sometime. Yeah, as you guessed, the part of the cliff I am resting on now starts to break away taking me and Twilight with it! Frantically I look around, spotting Applejack moving towards us I call out for her to catch Twilight; saying this I throw Twilight at her as the section of cliff starts to fall from sight.

This wouldn't be the first time I ever fell from a great height, but, for the girls, this is probably looks like I'm falling to my death here, as evidenced by them all screaming my name. I turn to look at the fast approaching earth and prepare for the landing, but in all seriousness, this won't even hurt. Three... two... one... **CRASH!** **CRACK!** Driving power into my legs, I hammer into the ground with tremedous force cracking the earth for tens of meters from the impact point; leaving me in a little crater, cool as ice. Oooh, yeah. I just need a pair of sunglasses to complete the image.

Cracking my neck I then look up at the other ponies who are being helped down, leaving Applejack with Twilight in her hooves, dangling from the side of the cliff. Once Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy drop off Pinkie Pie and Rarity they then fly up to catch Twilight as she lets go of Applejack at her own request. Seeing that everone is safe and sound I exit the crater and walk up to the group who, for lack of a better word, stand there stupified. Well, who can blame them? They just saw me drop some thrity plus meters down a cliff and survive without so much as a scratch, for most normal ponies, that would be an incredible feat in and of itself.

"What?" I ask of them, as they stand there, bug-eyed and their mouths wide open.

"You... how... what?" Elegantly put, my dear Rainbow Dash.

"I'm just that tough. What more do you want from me?" Simple answer for a simple question.

"That... doesn't explain anything! I know that I am pretty tough, but a fall like that would have still hurt." An incredulous response from Rainbow, and all I do is smirk right back at her, but I keep my mouth shut if only to keep the peace between us. "What are you smirking at?" Should I...? Nah. Or maybe...

"Just admiring your eyes." With this I turn and walk away, leaving her as a stuttering mess. Who knew that it would be this fun to mess with Rainbow Dash? If there is anyone else who finds themselves in this situation in some parallel dimension or whatever, you should most definitly try messing with Rainbow Dash. I do however feel that weird prickling sensation on the back of my neck however, so all sense of levity is gone, replaced with vigilance and caution. Though in retrospect, if I had actually bothered to take in my surroundings, I might have noticed a certain purple unicorn glaring rather sharply in my direction.

Not more than a few minutes pass and Rainbow _finally_ finishes retelling the tale of how she saved Twilight from falling from the cliff, much to the relief of the rest of us. As I hear Twilight talk to Rainbow Dash, I then (finally) notice the big cat standing before us. Well, to be precise it's actually-!

"A Manticore!" Yeah, thats it exactly. This manticore is still cartoonized, but nevertheless still looks like said creature: the main body resembles that of an adult male lion, large wings that would belong to a dragon or a bat, I would have to have a more in depth look so as to tell the actual difference, and lastly a fat scorpions tail...hmmm. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last I had heard about scorpions is that the fatter the tail the more venomous it is? Yeah that's... right... Oh, hay seeds. You get stung with that and you are in for a world of hurt.

"We've got to get passed him." Twilight spoke. Fluttershy however looks on with apprehension, knowing full well what is wrong with the creature. Wait a minute. Is there really a thorn this time around? Or is it somethign completely different? Whilst I am standing here, Rarity rucks up to the beast and delivers a kick to its face, earning her a rather... poofy... hairstyle. She then runs from it and and Applejack steps up, all of this happens while Fluttershy tries, in her own shy way, to get everyponies attention.

Applejack lasts for a few seconds rodio style, before finally getting flung off its back, leaving it up to Rainbow Dash. I can only watch as she starts to fly in circles around the manticore creating a rainbow coloured vortex with it at the center, only stopping when it contemptuously, swats her aside with the blunt end of its sting. Causing Twilight to call out the girls name in shock. All the girls, sans Fluttershy then prep themselves for a charge against it. Now I know Fluttershy will get their attention, but I think I should make a small contribution to this scene. So I just raise my right forehoof and slam it down to the ground, causing a small ewarthquake in the vicinity, thereby gaining everyponies attention.

"Fluttershy? Do you think you can handle this?" Might as well ask the question, if only to avoid unnecessary, probing questions in turn.

"Thank you Ranger." She says before turning to the beast. "Shh, it's ok." She says gently nuzzling its injured paw, causing it to look at her, then to its paw. Before slowly turning it over so that she can inspect it, revealing a little thorn in the middle of its pads. Now, for those amoong you who do not know this, but dogs get like this themselves whenever they get a thorn in their pads as well, causing probles while walking and some degree of discomfort.

"Oh, you poor, poor little baby." Soft, comforting words from Fluttershy help ease it's distrust towards us.

" _Little_?" Rainbow Dash cannot help but respond in disbelief.

"Now this might hurt for juuust a second." Ok, prepare for the pain fuelled roar, now. So roaring, it picks up Fluttershy, causing the others to call out to her in fear. Only for said fear to give way to relief as the manticore proceeds to show its appreciation for her kindness. While that happens, both myself and the girls walk up to and passed the creature as it finally releases Fluttershy, smiling at her. They both then part ways as Twilight and I wait for her to catch up to us.

"How did you know about the thorn?" She says to Fluttershy, who is now sporting a new rocking hairstyle.

"I didn't. Sometime we all need to be shown a little kindness." She says as she prepare to walk away, only to look over her shoulder at me. "I have to thank you as well, for giving me the oportunity to help the poor baby." Aw, ain't that sweet of her?

"Ah, no worries. I just assumed that, after your showing with those birds before, that you had a talent with a wide variety of animals. I do confess though, that I didn't know just **how** wide that net went, nor if it included things like that manticore." I am not very sure if either of them will by it, but given the nature of the ponies in Equestria, I feel like it should be enough. And would you know it? They did by it. This is going to be one bad habit to break when the time comes.

I glance back at the thorn, just to confirm some of my suspicions. God... darnit. Sadly, it does look like Nightmare Moon is the one behind all this, but why though? I don't really get it. The way she left... yes, that **must** be it. She does not want to have to deal with others in the state that she is currently in, so she is doing all that she can to keep us away from her; and _that_ means that I'll have to make sure that all the girls here do not react with violence when we finally meet her again.

That being said, we continue on our merry way, all six of us-wait **what!?** Where the fuuu-fuuunny bones, did Pinkie go?! I mean.. how does she disappear and reappear so... so... so quietly? I mean really, I know she can be quiet and all ninja goddes on occasions but, I mean how and why is she so fundamentally godlike in so many aspects? Fourth wall breakages aside however, I kind of see what is going to happen to us next.

"Ohh, my eyes need a break from all this icky muck." Rarity comments. And yes; trees, now begin to cover us from above, leaving in in darkness. Nothing pitch black mind you, just leaving us enough light to see vague outlines of our surroundings.

"Well I didn't mean it literally." That's as maybe Rarity, but now we have to deal with it. I mean really, it isn't that hard... one question comes to mind though. Why don't either Rarity or Twilight use a simple luminescence spell to light up the night as it were?

"That ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we wouldn't even know it." Twilight... you should calm down a bit before you cause panic amongst our friends here...? Since when were all these girls my friends?

I actually look at all the girls around me, staring in stark amazement at my own admission. I barely met them for the most part and see them as friends? Is this the logic of Equestria? Cause if so, then it is... is...? I... really don't know. It does feel nicer than the one I was born and raised in up till now, but, maybe, they are just a bit too naïve when it comes to relationships like this. I honestly don't know if this is something I can accept so easily. I mean, me and Twilight have had the most interaction than all the other girls due to us meeting as we had before arriving in Ponyville, so that makes her the oldest acquaintance I have here. Wait. My actions up till now have been a bit too friendly... have I been changed psychologically in some way to conform to the mindset that is native to Equestria?

My slowly depressing musings are cut short thanks to a **ton** of shrill screaming, leaving my ears ringing. Heh. Rhymes. I cast my glare at our surroundings to ascertain the threat, only to see some trees with cartoonish faces that, _for some reason,_ the others all find scary enough to scream at. I just give them a slightly amused look, only to, again, lose focus due to a certain pink pony laughing; and sure enough, there she stands, face to figurative face, with this ' _scary'_ tree. Laughing.

Yeah. Now she is making lots of random faces to the tree. I don't know why, but I seem to feel slightly... awkward watching this.

"Pinkie! What are you doing? Run!" Twilight calls out in fear. Not really needed but, there you go. Wait... oh good god **NO**!

"Oh, girls. Don't you see?" _Dear Christ,_ here it comes.

 _"When I was a little filly, and the sun was going do-o-o-o-own." Pinkie starts singing._

("Tell me she's not-" Twilight begins before Pinkie interrupts her _._ )

 _"The darkness and the shadows, they always make me fr-o-o-o-own." She continues._

("She is." Rarity confirms what the world already knows.)

 _"I'd hide under my pillow, from what I thought I saw."_

 _"But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way, to deal with fears at all."_

("Then what is?" Rainbow Dash interjects.)

 _"She said 'Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall. Learn to face your fears."_

 _"You'll see that they can't hurt you, just laugh to make them disappear."_

 _"Ha! Ha! Ha!" * **Poof* *Sproing***_ Yeah. That cartoonish sound effect right there... just no. The girls all gasp around me in amazement at Pinkies, for lack of a better word, banishment of the _scary_ tree. I just walk up to one of the trees and lean against it with an amused smirk attached to my face.

 _"So, giggle at the ghostie, guffaw at the grossly."_

 _"Crack up at the creepy, whoop it up with the weepy."_

 _"Chortle at the kooky, snortle at the spooky."_

 _"And tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna Hahahaha hahaha oh. Laugh!"_

I just stand there leaning against the only tree left that has its _scary_ face, while all the girls are collapsed on the ground laughing themselves into what I think is a stupor. Not too much time passes as they get themselves back into some semblance of control, and see me leaning against the last _scary_ tree, and they all start to give me a look. I sigh, and turn to the poor tree.

"Ahem. Giggle. Chuckle. Guffaw." ***Poof* *Sproing***

"Splendid little diversion, but I fear we must be on our way. Can't keep our little alicorn waiting for too long now can we." So saying, I just walk off in some random direction, only to come to a halt thanks to Twilight speaking.

"You do realize that you are heading back to Ponyville, right?" She asks, barely holding her composure, and the others are not much better.

"...I knew that. Just making sure you where paying attention." I then walk of in another direction before stopping, turning back and doing the one thing no bloke has ever done before. "You wouldn't happen to know where this castle is located then?" ...I blush upon realizing how obvious the question is. My blush only gets worse as all the girls start to laugh at my expense, but I can't keep a few embarrassed chuckles from escaping my lips.

They all just start to walk off at quite a pace with me following; still laughing mind you, but moving in what I hope is the right direction. I mean seriously, there is no kind of directional indication in the show as to whether or not this is the route to the castle. Now that I come to think about it, how do they even know where it is to begin with? Did the book even say where it was? If we take a look back, we will see that we never got further than the book telling us that it was located in the Everfree Forest, so... how do we-I mean Twilight even knows where to go?

My confused musings are cut short. Again. All due to the fact that I walked face first into Fluttershy's rear... Wow. Her rump is soft-NONONONONONO! Get your sickly mind out of the gutter you filthy, filthy stallion! That is inappropriate and I will dually apologize to her for causing such and affront upon her body. I will take no argument from anypony about this...? Is that... Steven Magnet? The sea serpent? God dang he cuts a fine figure... no this is not attraction, but rather admiration for his appearance-OH MY GOD! What the hay happened to that poor mustache!?

But in all seriousness, it **is** Steven Magnet! We are currently at the raging river with him right now, this is awesome, I get to have a few words with him, maybe. Well, after he regains his composure.

"Excuse me sir, why are you crying?" Twilight asks.

"Well, I don't know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business when this, tacky little cloud of purple smoke just-just, whisked passed me, and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off! And now, I look simply horrid!" Saying so he crashes back into the river, causing a splash so great that it drenches all seven of us, manes and tails just limp due to the amount of saturation.

"Give me a break." Rainbow speaks in a low tone.

"That's what all the fuss is about?" Applejack... you cannot know the amount of pride a man feels when he has a well kept bit of facial hair. And in this case, I have to say it...

"Why of course it is! How **can** you be so insensitive." Rarity beats me to the punch, but I will have my say in this, I swear it.

"Oh just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scales." Too true ma'am. I nod to the confusion of the rest of the group.

"I know." Steven speaks quietly.

"And your expertly coifed mane."

"Oh, I know, I know" Slowly adjusting it a little with his hand.

"Your fabulous manicure."

"Oh, it's so true" Indeed it is.

"All ruined without your beautiful mustache." I hear ya Rarity.

"It's true, I'm hideous!" He laments, the poor man. Wait, what?

"I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected!" So saying, she pulls a scale from Steven.

"OW! What did you do that for?" He asked in pained confusion.

"Rarity, what are you-?!" That's as far as she gets as Rarity, off screen, slices off a large portion of her tail, with a slashing type of sound effect. I do admit that when I first heard that, coupled with Stevens over-reaction, I thought she had killed him for a second. Yes, rather stupid of me I admit, but I was just too immersed in what I was watch at the time. As we stand and stare at Rarity, she then discards the scale, then using her magic picks up her tail and attaches it to Stevens face, right where the damaged part of his mustache was... that doesn't seem very hygienic. Still looks good though.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho! My mustache! How wonderful!" HE says striking a man-pose.

"You look smashing." Very good job Rarity. I think a smile upon my lips.

"Oh Rarity, your beautiful tail." Twilight comes up all concerned.

"Oh, it's fine my dear, short tails are in this season. Besides, it'll grow back." Indeed it will. Just a heck of a lot faster than you would think.

"So would the mustache." An annoyed Rainbow whispers to Twilight. Oh! Best get my bit in quick.

"Sir? Might I congratulate you upon your gentlemanly appearance." I say in an upper-class British elitist accent.

"Oh, good stallion, I thank you for your compliment, you cut a fine figure yourself." Steven responds.

"May I be frank?" At his nod, I continue. "When I first saw you, I saw a well kept, and well mannered gentleman. But imagine my horror upon seeing the brutality done upon your mustache! I was filled with both sorrow and anger at such a sight. But, with this young mare's generous gift, your image is back to pristine condition." Holy heee... heee...heck. Do I lay it on think or what?

"Oh, my good sir you are a pet. Thank you for your wonderful accolades." Huh. I think I made a new friend.

 **[PLAY 'THE MOUSTACHE SONG' - A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST]**

I don't know where this music is coming from, but I will sing with gusto to show my love of the mustache. Which is something I have not been able to grow naturally. Sadly.

 _You colts who long for love_

 _You mustn't all despair_

 _There's a secret you should know_

 _To capture the hearts of the fair_

 _You may not have the looks_

 _You may not have the dash_

 _But you'll win yourself a girl_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

All the girls look at me for my impromptu song out of nowhere, but Steven looks appreciative.

 _You may be common folk_

 _Without a hint of pride_

 _But you needn't be a king_

 _To make any maiden a bride_

 _You may not have the name_

 _You may not have the cash_

 _But you'll make that mare you're own_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

The girls are bobbing their heads left and right in time with the tune as well as Steven, all smiles. Glad they like it.

 _You may be big and fat_

 _Or uglier than sin_

 _All the ladies shut you out_

 _You're wondering how to get in_

 _Well here is my advice_

 _For how to make a splash_

 _You can have your pick of gals_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _Big moustache_

 _Thick moustache_

 _My moustache_

 _Your moustache_

 _Say the word, the word 'moustache'_

I then point to Steven, giving a cue to join in.

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _Now we both have said 'moustache'_

 _A moustache_

 _A moustache_

 _If you've only got a moustache_

Holding my right hoof up to indicate Stevens moustache, I end the song. A proud smile on my face and a **very** proud stance to show my full appreciation for such fine facial hair. The girls all smile. Twilight gets her priorities straight though.

"*Gasp* We can cross now. Lets go-uaaagh!" She then steps into the river and starts to cross it. All before Steven intercepts her with his serpentine body, lifting her out of the water to give us all a drier crossing point.

"Allow me." He then dives into the water. We all, then start to jump from each mound formed from his body to the other side.

After we all landed safely on the other bank, we all turn and thank him for the help rendered in getting us across the river, with me telling him that, should our paths cross again, that we should talk over a nice cup of tea and some biscuits which he agrees to. I wave him off as we depart, before turning to see the smiles from all six ponies before me.

"...What?" I ask confused.

"I didn't take you for a colt of fashion Ranger. That was a pleasant surprise for me, we should talk a bit when we have more time." Oh god no. I was never one for fashion, but now it seems like I have a date with Rarity. Spike is going to throw a fit.

"I have to agree with Rarity on this, I thought you were a bit of a jerk when we first met, but I see that you are an alright guy once I got to know you better. I kinda wonder what else there is about you that will be cool and awesome." Rainbow, stop. You make me blush.

"Thanks girls, I just do what I can, nothing more." I say.

"Now don' go sellin' yerself short there sugarcube, you are a might more friendly than you make yerself out ta be." I smile at Applejack for her input, but I think I should drop a bit of a bomb on them here and now, long before it gets to the point of being 'too late'.

"Thanks Applejack but, I never was good at making friends, enemies yes but friends no." That shocks them a bit as we keep moving forwards.

"Wait. What do you mean by that?" Twilight picks up for everypony.

"Well... I already told you how I started out Twilight, but the rest of the girls never heard the tale, nor the one on how **we** first met. I won't talk about it right now, but once we have saved Nightmare Moon from herself, and returned home to Ponyville, then I will tell the rest of you about it."

They seem to accept it, and we continue on our way. Eventually, we leave the forest and reach a large clearing revealing the ruins of the pony sisters, and I have to admit that it does look more impressive in real life, rather than as an image from a TV screen.

"There it is!" Twilight calls out in excitement. "The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony, we made it!"

"Looks like it." I say in response, but something tickles the back of my mind about this scene, but for the life of me...? Oh heck no! Twilight! She then runs forward without any care in the world, despite all the dangers and obstacles we encountered before hoof.

"Twilight, wait fer us!" Applejack calls out.

"We're almost there!" Twilight says looking back to us, causing a near fatal accident with regards to herself and the sheer drop that stands between us and our ultimate goal. Scrambling she tries to back up, but help comes in the form of Rainbow Dash.

"What is it with you and falling off cliffs today?" She says in humor. All of us look at the collapsed bridge with uncertain looks. Me? I could jump that easy enough, and I could carry the other girls across as well but that would be a bit much for them I think.

"Now what?" Pinkie exclaims.

"Duh." Rainbow responds, twiddling her wings.

"Oh yeah." Pinkie says, watching Rainbow take off to pick up the bridge, so as to reattach it on the other side. I on the other hoof keep a careful eye out for the 'Shadow Bolts', Nightmare's attempt at seducing Rainbow into leaving her friends behind for her own desires. And would you look at that, there they are. I sigh, shacking my head slightly, staring across the gap at the illusion held up by Nightmare.

"Rainbow! What's taking so long?" She then spots Rainbow talking to the Shadow Bolts on the other side. "Oh no. Rainbow don't listen to them!" Even as she shouts, the fog only grows thicker, obscuring her voice, stopping her from interfering with what is going on.

"Oh no! We have to do something! Guys, any ideas?" She asks, looking at us. It is best that I calm them down before they try anything.

"Twilight." I say, catching her, and everyone else's attention. "This is not the time for us to panic, Rainbow will **not** abandon us. She is far more loyal than anyone here believes. So just wait for now, and trust, that she will stand by her beliefs, and that she will come back for us." I already know that she will, and that most of the ponies here know this, but Twilight being new to town does not understand this. So, I try to make sure that she understands exactly what it is I am saying.

"How can you be so sure? I mean, you two did not get off to a very pleasant start after all." Twilight sounds a little skeptical with regards to my believing in Rainbow Dash to pull through for us, so I had best give it to her straight.

"True. We did not give each other a very good first impression, but if there is one thing I did learn from our interactions thus far, it is that she is fiercely loyal to those she considers her friends." Even as I speak, I feel the air around us start to lift, driving away the fog and revealing Rainbow Dash in all her glory, and not just that, but, as I had expected, the bridge is fully secured on the other side. Causing the girls to call out excitedly, we all then start to cross the bridge.

"See? I'd never leave my friends hanging." Rainbow declares. Twilight smiles at this as we all then make our way to the ruins.

I can barely hold myself from gawping at this monument to the fall of Luna, and the Rise of Nightmare Moon. The walls are degraded, with most if not all of them cover in a great deal of moss and vines, trees and bushes growing out of the many cracks across the whole compound. The roof is completely gone leaving little evidence of it ever having been there, but I have to confess that I am surprised to see that the wooden doors remain both intact and undamaged by the passage of time and the local plant life.

"I can't believe it." I say breathlessly. "This is the place, the place where Celestia and Nightmare Moon fought all those centuries ago. If it weren't for the current situation we are in, I would love to spend a few days here, just looking the place over, taking in the sights and just plain being here." I say to the world at large. Not at all caring for the looks that the girls are all giving me. Why though? I mean I did explain a few things back at town hall did I not?

"I have to admit that I do feel the same way, but we have a mission to complete." Twilight says, bringing me back to the present. Just in time to notice a faint, but suspiciously familiar smell. Sniffing heavily like a blood hound, I try to place where I smelt this scent before.

"Uh, Ranger? What are you doing?" Fluttershy asks me.

"I... there is a scent here. It is rather faint, but I feel that it should be familiar to me, I just need to find where the scent is strongest and then..." I let the sentence trail off, my mind still focused on that scent. It is actually driving me a little mad, not remembering where that scent is from, but it'll come to me eventually. Just hope it doesn't bite when it does.

I look everywhere, from the decaying walls to the darkest corners of the ruins, looking for any clues as to what that scent belongs to. Hoping that whatever it is, that it is not a hostile being because, as much as I do love a good fight, I don't want these girls to experience death so soon. I mean look at how badly Twilight reacted to my killing that dragon and then my subsequent lying about the reason I fought it. Obviously she bought it, and I was able to get away with it... but thinking back on it now, I don't know if I will be able to lie to Celestia about this. Seriously, she does know about a fair number of things but she should know, by instinct at least, that I am not a true pony by nature.

Whilst I muse to myself, taking extra care to analyze our surroundings, Twilight and the rest come up to a stone statue depicting what they believe to be the Elements of Harmony.

"Whoa." Rarity says in awe at the sight.

"C'mon Twilight, isn't this what you've been waiting for?" Applejack says.

"The Elements of Harmony. We found them!" Twilight exclaims.

"Looks like it." I say standing close to the group, keeping my eye open for any threat. Both Rainbow and Fluttershy then start to collect the Elements from their respective perches and placing them before Twilight.

"One, two, thee, four, uh, there's only five." Pinkie says to the group.

"Where's the sixth?" Rainbow asks.

"The book said, 'When the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed." Twilight answers.

"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?" Applejack asks right back.

"I'm not sure but I have an idea. Stand back, I don't know what will happen." So saying, Twilight begins to gather her magic for some, even now, unknown reason. I mean really, just blast the stone with some magic and she expects it to work? Rather naïve of her really.

"C'mon now y'all, she needs to concentrate." Applejack says to the others leading them all outside. I watch harder now, waiting for Nightmare to make her appearance. And there it is, that cloud of smoke now turns into a miniature tornado taking the Elements inside it.

"The Elements!" Twilight cries before leaping into the tornado, taking this chance I charge at it and leap in before it starts to shrink, taking us and the Elements with it.

A flash of bright, white light is all that greets me, and a simple white blindness is the after effect. Blinking slowly and heavily, I bring my eyesight back slowly; you would have thought that closing your eyes when going through a tele-portal spell would be a basic safety precaution, but no, I had to keep my eyes open and now I find myself in a weak starting point for negotiations with Nightmare Moon. The only way for me to tell that Twilight made it here is the sound of her coughing.

My vision is eventually restored and seeing Twilight on the ground I move over to her and help her up, all before turning to Nightmare Moon who is chuckling at us darkly. With the usual 'villain lightning effects'. How boring is that? Can't you try to be original or are you deliberately going for the clichéd villain portrayal here? Twilight just gasps, then her face takes a stern turn. ( _That was terrible. Try again_.)

'OK! Just who in the heck are you!? Don't you just stay quiet! Answer ME!' I scream at this voice, wherever it is. **Who** ever it is.

"You're kidding! She's kidding right?" Nightmare turns to me in bewilderment. Hey don't look at me! I thought that we had agreed to a non-aggression stance with regards to Nightmare Moon.

"No, she ain't! Twilight I thought that we had-wait what the heck are you doing!?" I scream finally at Twilight as she speeds off to joust with the alicorn, whom responds with a charge of her own. Despite knowing how it will end, I still cringe as I watch these two ponies charge towards each other.

I debate at light speed as to whether I should let this come to pass or not and against my better judgement, I let it happen. I know that I will have a chance at talking to Nightmare after the stones are broken, and I intend to help her understand a few things, namely that she was never alone to begin with, and that right now, she has some pony who is willing to be her friend.

And so I stand there as both Twilight and Nightmare charge towards each other in a... unicorn/alicorn joust attempt. No other words needed really. I watch as the closer they get, Twilights horn starts to emit a sort of high pitched, humming noise that gets louder the closer they get. This continues until, just at the point of impact, a bright flash surrounds Twilight, whom vanishes then appears amongst the stones, leaving Nightmare to stare at her once she had skidded to a halt.

"Just one spark." Twilight says, bringing forth her magic in an attempt that I know is doomed to fail. "C'mon, c'mon." Desperation laces her voice as Nightmare turns into a tornado and leaps in front of her.

The stones _were_ glowing with her magic, and an electrical field did connect them which reacted violently with Twilight launching her away. Seeing this, I jump in her path and cushion her fall with my body. Glancing down, I see that Twilight is alright and so I turn my gaze towards Nightmare, watching as she at first shows fear at the reaction of the stones before laughing in both relief and jubilation at them failing to affect her.

"*Gasp* But where's the sixth Element?" Twilight asks in shock. Just as she finishes speaking, Nightmare then stomps on the ground, shattering the stones, leaving them an pieces.

"You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me!? Now you will never see you're princess or you're sun. The night, will last, forever!" She calls, laughing at us both in her apparent victory. I cannot let this stand. I know there has to be a way for me to help her return to her senses without resorting to forcing her back to herself. I know there is!

"Nightmare Moon!" I cry with force, drawing her full attention upon myself.

"You... I thought I made it very clear the last time. I will not listen to anything you have to say! You will take this foal with you and never come near me again!" Nightmare cries, making Twilight flinch, but me? Not so much as a battered eyelash.

"Nightmare..." I cannot speak, only stepping in front of Twilight, keeping her safe behind my back, I can only speak from my heart, it is the only way for me to get to her.

"Nightmare Moon, can you tell me, honestly what you felt before your transformation?" I ask slowly, hoping that she can give me an answer.

"Why in all of Equestria would I tell you that?" Fair and valid point, but I must press on.

"You are deeply wounded by what occurred back then Nightmare, and I believe that talking about it, even if only a little, can help ease any lasting pain, and perhaps,s eventually, even help in healing the wound. But I will not press you if you feel uncomfortable about talking about it." She is listening, openly curious but eventually becoming shock after I finish speaking.

"How could you know anything about what happened back then? How could you ever hope to understand how I even felt before and after my transformation? How could you ever hope to help me in any way at all? All you talk about is caring and understanding when it is clear that you do **not** understand anything about me!" Nightmare exclaims stepping closer, small tears in her eyes. This may be my best chance, maybe my only chance now, I cannot mess up here or she will then be forced back into Luna, leaving another scar upon her soul. I will not let that happen!

"...I..." A lump forms in my throat as I try to speak. Swallowing back the lump I continue to speak. "I know what happened, how you feel, because I was in that situation once upon a time." I confess, though it isn't something I want to talk about. Nightmare just looks at me.

"Really?" Uncertainty in her voice.

"I hate to admit it, but yes, I **know** the feeling of fighting your own sibling due to pent up negative emotions, the rage, the fear, the jealousy... the sickness." I begin, delving lightly into how I felt, how **she** felt when fighting her own sibling. "That was how I felt before **and** after the fight, but really, I have never felt more sickened by my actions than when I fought my sibling, both physically and spiritually. Nightmare Moon. I am willing to help you through these emotions as I was once helped, if that is not enough... then... I will be the lightning rod for your aggression. Take all of your hate, fear, grief, jealousy and all others to strike at me, rage and whale upon my being to purge yourself of these emotions that cloud your vision!" I speak with complete resolution as I make this claim, watching as both Nightmare and Twilight are horrified what I said.

"Ranger! You cannot be serious! She'll kill you!" Twilight screams to my face.

"You cannot be serious!? You will not be able to take all of it and survive. As much as I want to plunge the world into darkness, I will not kill any pony while doing so!" Nightmare cries out. With that, I know that I have a hold on her.

"You say that you will not kill Nightmare, but were you not willing to kill Celestia when you fought all those years ago?" I ask, just to confirm my suspicions. I need this, for this may be the key point which will help me turn her back peacefully.

"I-I..." She stutters, unsure how to respond. "I..." Nightmare looks down eyes closed, tears now dripping onto the floor.

"I cannot lie. I did feel the desire to kill her back then." Twilight gasps at Nightmares' admission. "But, as the fight dragged on, that desire slowly went away and was replaced by a desire to beat her. I just wanted what should have been mine. I wanted to be loved as she was loved, was that to much to ask?" She asks, tears coursing down her face.

I say nothing as Twilight stands beside matching as we speak to one another. All I do is step forward, and once more embrace her in my hooves, giving her a much needed shoulder to cry on, we remain like this for a time until we hear the rest of the girls finally make their way to us. Twilight heads over to them and asks them to keep quiet as Nightmare Moon vents her pent up sorrow to the world at large. I do not rightfully now how long we stayed like this, but we are both brought back to the world when Twilight, comes up to us and joins me in hugging Nightmare. I freely confess that I did not see this coming.

"Nightmare Moon, I'm sorry for how I reacted before, I'm sorry for assuming that you were nothing more than a being of pure evil. If it is possible, then I want to help make amends, to try and help you in my own way; I'll also join Ranger in listening to all of your problems and helping you get through this time of great hardship." Twilight says, her voice a near whisper due to close proximity.

"Thank you." Nightmare says in the same quiet tone of voice. Hearing this, I smile lightly, knowing that we now have her, she may be more agreeable to being turned back peacefully now.

"No. It is us who should thank you." I say. "I have few friends, and I hope to count you as one of them Nightmare Moon." She raises her head at my suggestion, she then looks at Twilight who smiles and nods before turning to me once more. A small smile, carrying genuine happiness.

"If, if you will accept me and my failings, then I will accepts being your friend." A broad toothy grin adorns my face as a bring her and Twilight into a near bone breaking hug, chuckling at the subsequent attempts to break free for air. Eventually I release them both and watch as the breathe heavily after being engulfed in my bear hug.

"That is one of the best things I heard all day. I have more friends now. Huh, now that I think about it, I have made more friends in this one day than I have in the last ten years." This causes everypony to blink and look at me with a small amount of pity in their eyes, all except for Twilight and Nightmare, whom both smile and giggle at my own admission.

"I have to agree with that statement, my friend." Nightmare says, a little awkwardly, but you can't blame her for that as the only friend she had was her sister. Then you take into account their break up and her thousand years of imprisonment and... well, yeah.

"Still, how can I remedy this situation?" She asks me lightly. "I have brought eternal night to the world and the other ponies undoubtedly fear me, I don't think that I will be able to walk amongst them as a friendly being due to that." What she says is true but...

"Maybe, but... I think that there is a way for you to be accepted by the rest of Equestria. However... that does mean being turned back into Luna." Twilight says catching me of guard. I know what she speaks of but...? Oh, right. Now I get it. While they speak to one another I had best get my head into gear.

"So, what it is that you are saying is that, I should cease to exist, and turn back into Luna?" She doesn't sound happy. But she forgets something very basic and fundamental here.

"If I might interject here." I say gathering their attention. "Nightmare, you will not cease to exist, you have always existed, you just didn't know it." I say, earning confused glances from everypony around me.

"I mean, just think about it. You bear all the memories from your youth right?" Nightmare nods slowly. "You remember everything that both yourself and Celestia did and spoke about yes?" Another nod, more confident this time, accompanied by a glimmer of joy in her eyes.

"Do you understand where I am coming from now? Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna. They are both one and the same pony, neither evil nor good; they are both pure beings whom exist in the same place. To me, you are both Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna, one cannot exist without the other, they compliment each other in a natural and organic manner. I also believe that your sister, Princess Celestia, new about this, but couldn't quite talk to you in the right way. I tell you this, here and now, that she still loves you and seeks a chance to gain your forgiveness, love and friendship. Will you take a chance, this one chance to be with her once more? To be with us?" I throw everything I have at her, all my emotions, my caring, my desires, all of it in this final attempt to get her to see the truth of her own existence.

She closes her eyes and breathes steadily, head down low. All of us, myself, Twilight, the rest of the girls, all waiting, barely breathing, waiting for her response. Eventually, her eyes open, firm and resolute, she speaks to all of us.

"I... if there is a chance... then please help me reunite with my sister and my people. Please." So saying, she lowers her head, and internally I rejoice. I don't know how I did it, but I did it!

"Don't worry, there is a way to help you. Twilight, use the Elements of Harmony." I say turning towards her.

"But the Elements... they are destroyed." She says looking at the broken shards of stone. Nightmare looks slightly forlorn at that but this should help them all understand.

"Twilight. Look at me." She turns to face me. "The Elements of Harmony are more than simple stones, material objects that can be so easily broken. Take a long hard look around you, see all that there is to see, and you will find that the truth stands before your very eyes." Why the fuuufufu... heck did I say it like that? There was no point in being all mystical. Still, she is very intelligent and should get what it is I'm trying to say.

Nodding, she then turns and looks around, briefly I might add, and sees the five other ponies standing arrayed before us, some in confusion, some with happy expressions, but still standing there, showing that they cared, that they were there for her if their help was needed.

"*Gasp* Ranger. You're right! The Elements cannot be destroyed just like that. For the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right, here!" Yes Twilight. Spread the word, and let the power that is friendship flourish! The various stone shards start to glow and float off the ground.

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of, Honesty!" Shards starts to orbit her and will do so for the other five.

"Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of, Kindness!"

"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling on the face of danger, represents the spirit of, Laughter!"

"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of, Generosity!"

"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own hearts desire, represents the spirit of, Loyalty!"

"The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge that came before us!" Twilight says.

"But if that is the case, then where is the sixth Element? Did the spark even work?" Nightmare calls out, some small amount of fear creeping into her voice.

"But it did, a different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me, when I realized that you all, are my friends!" She then turns to Nightmare Moon, who takes a few steps back in fear as Twilight and the girls start to glow.

"You see Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the, the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth Element. The Element of , Magic!" So saying, she and the girls are surrounded by a glow that morphs the shards into their amulets and Twilights crown. Nightmare looks at me, and I see the fear in her eyes, all I do is smile encouragingly and nod at her, giving off an aura, making her feel that everything will be alright.

I see that her stance is more relaxed, more ready, she closes her eyes and waits as the power the girls all display, creates a powerful rainbow, engulfing Nightmare Moon in a rainbow colored vortex. Twilight finally opens her eyes and the world around me goes white as I close my eyes and look away to avoid getting blinded in the aftermath.

Once the world had regained its true color's, I notice all the girls are on the ground. Probably tired out from that first time experience. Heh heh heh. I love those innuendoes. Lets see how far I can take them before I get censored.

"Oh, my head." Rainbow says, rubbing her sore head.

"Is, is everypony ok?" Applejack asks.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Rarity cries out.

"Why Rarity, it's so lovely." Fluttershy says.

"I know, I'll never part with it again." Rarity says displaying her now restored tail.

"No, your necklace, it looks just like your Cutie Mark." Fluttershy corrects her.

"What, oh." She says comparing the two. "So does yours."

"Look at mine, look at mine!" Pinkie says.

"Ah, yeah." Declares Rainbow proudly.

"Gee Twilight, I just thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey. But I reckon, we really do represent the Elements of friendship." Applejack says, her voice loaded with honesty and pride.

"Indeed you do." A female voice calls out. 10 points to captain obvious if you can guess who just turned up.

Like the coming of a god, the sun rises faster than it has any right to, enveloping the world with its own warmth, before releasing the Princess of the sun herself, who in a glowing white orb, appears before us in all her glory.

A white, colored alicorn standing about a head taller than me, maybe six foot tall if I had to guess. Her mane and tail are both long and freely flowing in whatever magical breeze they are caught upon, and the are colored in green, pink and blue. Her eyes are purple in color and hold a great deal of compassion and strength in them, but I have to question though, is she really as effective a ruler as she could be? Whatever, that's for another time. Lastly is her Cutie Mark, which is simply a full sun upon her flank. A beautiful pony by any ponies standards.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cries coming forwards.

"Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student." Celestia says giving her students a cuddle. Her tone of voice always appears to be sort of... motherly in a way. But that is sort of to be expected. "I new you could do it."

"But, you told me it was all an old pony tale." Twilight says.

"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I had seen the signs foretelling of Nightmare Moons return, and I knew that its was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart." Celestia says looking at Twilight and her friends before turning to her sister. "Now if only another will as well."

"Princess Luna." She makes her way towards her sister whom I have taken place besides, watching over her as she fully revert to her original self. Once she opens her eyes, she gasps upon making eye contact with her sister. "It has been a thousand years since I have last seen you like this." Crouching down to eye level she lets her eyes and do the talking on a spiritual level unseen by all except for me.

"Time to put our past grievances behind us, we were always meant to rule together little sister. Can we, can we once more be friends?" Celestia asks, desperate hope in her very being. Luna looks at me for my opinion. Once again I smile and give her an encouraging nod. Leading her to leap at her sister giving her a deep, crushing embrace.

"I'm so sorry! Oh, I missed you so much big sister!" She cries into Celestias' shoulder.

"Oh, I've missed you too." Celestia cries deep in her sister embrace, returning it in kind.

I happily shed a few tears at the scene before me, though the moment is ruined somewhat due to the exaggerated emotions of a certain pink, peppy, party pony. Who then cries a veritable river upon the stone floor. All before getting happy really, really quickly. Don't ask.

"Hey, do you know what this calls for?" Three guess's. "A PARTY! C'mon every pony lets get to the cake! I have something special in mind for this one." As she leaves, all the others follow on behind her, I too follow on but at the back of the herd. I smile watching these events unfold, at least until I catch that scent again. This time it is stronger. More potent, more...! FUDGE BERRIES! I know that scent from anywhere!

I charge off, leaving the others behind as I hear them call out to me. Following my nose, I track the scent deep into the ruins, ending up at a locked door. Well, I say door, but it looks like something one would use in a fallout shelter. Strong metals mixed with strong enchantments to make all the more tougher to break through. Though it could have been done better if it was done at the same time rather than two independent processes; that just leaves a fatal flaw for those with sufficient skill and knowledge to just smash on through.

"Excuse me, but why did you run off like... that? This door. The treasure vault; it is still locked, even after all this time. Is this why you came here? To plunder what is inside?" Celestia asks me as I stand there giving it a full analysis.

"Princess Celestia, I am sure there has to be a reason that Ranger has come here." Twilight reassures the Princess with me paying little attention to what is going on around me. "Ranger? How did you know this place even existed? More to the fact, how did you know how to find the place?" She asks me.

"I smelt something that is very familiar to me so I decided to follow it here. Now, I just plan to break into the place and get at the scent." I will be perfectly blunt about what I plan to do here.

"You do realize that you are still going to commit a crime as the contents of the vault are still the rightful property of the Canterlot royal family." Celestia says, raising her brow at my near casual disregard for the law.

"I am only going to get some **very** specific items. You need not worry about the rest of the contents, but you will have to worry about the state of the vault door after I'm finished with it." Saying that, I roll my shoulders and crack my neck before stepping forward only to stop as Celestia gets in front of me. She is not stopping me from getting inside that blloooollloooo...! Fuuuuuu...! Stupid vault! I hate this so much! Look here GOD! I will find a way to swear and I will swear at you to your face until I collapse from oxygen deprivation!

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you do something that drastic. You do fully realize that both my sister and I are here? We can open the vault without you needing to break it open." She says as both she and Luna step up to the door and attempt to open the door. Key word being 'attempt'. "Odd. The door should be opening by now." She says try for the fourth time.

"Princess, is there a problem?" I ask slightly smug about the trouble she is having. All I get in response is a slight glare and a challenge.

"Well, if you can get through this then you can collect you specific items and a few other things as well. **I** **f** you can." Her own sense of smugness showing, but you know what they say, 'Pride comes before a fall.' And boy will her pride fall today.

I smirk as I step up to the door and give it a full analysis before deciding on one of two different methods to open the vault. One a very simple spell to by-pass the outer enchantments then just push the doors open. Or two, just head butt the door into pieces. I'll try option one first, then go for two if one doesn't work out.

"I call upon all antiquity to give me magic enough. Oh how does it begin...? Karvik tome somini lava-yes! Karvitome, somini, lavethal," Everypony just looks at me as I speak, in their eyes, nothing but gibberish, but to me, they are words of power. Even as I speak a glowing, blue, eight pointed star appears before me shocking all who witness it. "Untumblee varishtone, misuse-krones maglionrach, Kalah!" I shout, finishing the incantation. The eight pointed star burns brighter and brighter until it releases all the pent up magical energy to do its work upon the door. I watch-we watch the blue magical energy burn for about a minute before ot gutters and fades away. I make a thorough check for any residual magical energy, but upon seeing none, I simply walk up to the door and push it open. Leaving all the ponies behind me gawping at my feat.

Walking into the vault with a face rivaling Jeremy Clarkson's 'smug face', I follow the ever enticing smell of leather, fur and a strong smell from a black smithy. This leads me to the source of the smell, there it is, lying on the floor without a care in the world is a large bag. Made of leather from an ancient dragon, a creature from the very bowels of hell and one from the highest heavens, this is one of my greatest works alongside my weapon 'Sternguard'. I made this in collaboration with my friend who used a magic spell they created to give this near limitless carry weight, simply put, this is an infinite bag made to carry practically anything, and with the added bonus of removing the wight of all itmes that go inside it. Just awesome isn't it.

"That... that... that... what the heck was that Ranger?" Pinkie Pie asks coming out of nowhere. I turn to her to respond.

"Simple magic." That is all I give before looking back at the bag.

"...No. No nononononono! Ranger that was by no means **simple** magic! That was some advanced and powerful magic, if you were a unicorn or an alicorn I could accept you calling it 'simple magic' but you, for you information, are an **earth pony**. You cannot fundamentally use magic like that! Just what in the heck did you do to even do this?!" Twilight says in a fit of hysterics. I look over my shoulder seeing everypony else of a similar opinion. I just shrug and focus on the bag.

"!" Yes Twilight, I am ignoring you. Get over it.

"Don't you ignore me! This is not something you can just leave unanswered!" So saying she gets right in my face. You know something, I will by-pass her by doing something she does not expect. I kiss her nose. With this she calms down quite fast, and starts to turn red. Huh, would you look at that, red is most definitely not her color. I walk around her leaving her to her blushing embarrassment and move closer to my bag.

"How did this get in here?" I ask turning to the two princesses whom are both staring at a very red Twilight.

"... I beg your pardon?" Celestia asks after getting control of herself.

"I said, how did this get in here?" I repeat myself for her benefit, pointing at the bag.

"Well, that has been in here since Luna and myself were little fillies, before we even got our Cutie Marks. And in that time no pony has been able to so much as open it, let alone move it. Not even magic seems to work. More to the point though, how do you know about it?" Celestia asks me.

"It's mine." With that, I walk on over to my bag and without any problems, I just pick it up, and strap it onto my back. Turning around I see something that causes me to laugh so hard that my knees buckle under me, causing me to collapse onto the floor. I cannot believe what I am seeing. The two princesses! Their faces! OH MY GOD! That is priceless! Where in the name of fudge is a camera when you need it most?

I don't rightfully know how long I laughed but every time I got some control over myself, one single, solitary peak at the two princesses caused me to once again, go into hysterics. After... God alone knows how long, I finally pull myself together and regain my balance, even if some giggles do escape me. I stare at all the girls with my tear stained smirking face and tell them that I am now ready to head back to Ponyville, they all nod with the princesses being in a state of shock at my accomplishing both magic and moving an object that has been in their vault for over a millennium. They will surely have words for me about that but I am not very sure how I will explain it, well when the time comes then it comes. I will do what I can in the mean time and await any sort of hint or clue as to this entities whereabouts, and any of its minions.

Once we all exit the castle and cross the rope bridge, Pinkie Pie comes up to my side and asks me a question.

"Hey, I had heard from the other ponies is town about a song you sang while traveling on your way to Sweet Apple Acres, do you think you could sing it again?" She asks. I just blink.

"...Pardon?" I asks in turn.

"You know, that song. Could you sing it for us as we travel on back? I heard that it was a rather jolly little traveling tune and I think we could all do with a bit of cheer here." She says smiling at me. I look at the others and see that they are all, with the exception of Twilight, looking curious with regards to what Pinkie is talking about. I am rather reluctant as this is three songs within one day for me, and I think that it is a bit much... eh. What the hay! Lets have ourselves a reprise of that song then!

[ **PLAY 'FULL METAL JACKET - FINALE - MICKEY MOUSE]**

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _We play fair and we work hard_

 _and we're in harmony_

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

After the first lyric comes out of my mouth, Twilight joins in immediately slowly followed by all the other ponies and then eventually both princesses.

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Forever let us hold our banner high._

 _High! High! High!_

 _Fillies and Colts from far and near_

 _you're welcome as can be._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who's the leader of the club_

 _that's made for you and me._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who is marching coast to coast_

 _and far across the sea._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

As we sing, the distance between us and Ponyville shortens by a vast margin, leading to enter it in a near triumphal procession with practically every pony joining us in singing the song to it's conclusion.

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Mickey Mouse (MICKEY MOUSE)_

 _Forever let us hold our banner high._

 _High! High! High!_

 _Come along and sing a song_

 _and join our family._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Who's the leader of the club_

 _that's made for you and me._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

 _Hey there. Hi there. Ho there_

 _You're as welcome as can be._

 _M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E_

With this, Pinkie calls out to every pony within earshot and calls upon all of them to join the party which... just springs up right out of nowhere. I am not even going to comment on that. That will just leave me with a stonking headache, and I would rather not have to deal with that right now.

With this I see both princesses ride in on a golden chariot pulled by four guard pegasai, and spike reunites with his best friend and mother figure. All the ponies bow before the two princesses showing their fealty and loyalty. Luna is still a little unsure and lowers her head, probably thinking that she doesn't deserve this. Her head jerks up as two young pegasai fly up to her and place a garland of flowers around her neck. After looking down and seeing what was placed upon her neck she then turns to her sister and smiles happily.

Standing off to the side of all the festivities, I gaze at everything before me, a small smile gracing my features as I start thinking of my future here in this world. It is beyond obvious that I will be doing a lot of killing when I face of against this Rouge Entities forces and I'll be fighting alone at that, but honestly that is by far the most acceptable outcome of this entire endeavor of mine. Alone, I will take on this menace and I will conquer it.

My mind, body and soul set, I turn and walk away. I don't make it very far before a certain pony catches up to my side and brings me to a halt.

"Ranger? Where are you going?" Twilight says. I look at her before I speak.

"My business here is done now and it is time for me to continue on my way I'm afraid." I say a little saddened. Oh who am I kidding? I am **very** saddened by the fact that I have to leave Ponyville, but I have to hunt for this Entities location and defeat it fast so that-!( **Where the fuck do you think you're going?** )

What and how!? I try to move but time seems to have stopped! What is going on here!? ( **If you want to stop this Rouge Entity then you will need a place to stay, not where ever is best for one night.** )

That voice again. What is it that you want anyway? ( **I want you to find the Rouge Entity of course. From there you will start on a journey beyond your wildest dreams.** )

What the heck are you on about? Are you tripping on something? ( **No I am not. I, unlike the rest of the pantheon have plans for you. And I believe that Equestria is a bloody good starting point don't you agree?** )

What plans?

...

...

...

What just happened?

OK. It is official. I am going mad. I have lost my grip on sanity and have tumbled downhill and fallen into the sludgy mess that is insanity. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Pain across the back of my head brings my eyes and my body into complete focus, blinking I turn to stare at the one who hit me. Huh, didn't think she had it in her. Twilight had just clobbered me over the back of my head with Sternguard. Is it wrong of me to think she looks hot when holding such a thick shaft? Hehehehehe. I love these. I can actually get away with them, at least within my mind, but I should try speaking them to another pony so as to confirm it.

"Ranger! Are you there now!?" She shouts at me shocking me and all the other ponies at her actions.

"Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia says as she comes up to us. "Was that really necessary! You could have badly hurt him!" Nah. I am way to tough for that.

"Sorry princess but he just blacked out for some time and I couldn't get a response out of him. So I, kinda... fell onto the last resort?" She started strongly before withering under the princesses steady stare.

"*Sigh* Twilight my faithful student, violence should always be the last resort, but you used it within moments. You didn't really give him much time before hitting him with that hammer. Where did you even get that thing by the way?" Celestia asks confused.

"I used my magic to get it from the library, and before you ask princess, the hammer is actually his?" Twilight... you... are just adorable you know that? I think to myself as she flounders around.

"You actually hit him with his own weapon?" Celestia asks.

"Yes?" Twilight squeaks.

"Princess?" I say getting into the conversation before it can go off an another tangent.

"Yes? Ranger was it?" Celestia asks turning towards me.

"Yes, my name is Ranger le Forge and I wouldn't really worry about myself being hit over the head by that hammer." I say, causing her to raise her brow in disbelief.

"I find that hard to believe, but seeing as how you appear to be fine, I will let this slide. Still, that is not something you should ever do to a fellow pony Twilight." Celestia says to me and Twilight.

"I understand princess, but I couldn't think of any other way to get his attention." Twilight says in turn.

"Ehh. No harm no foul, says I" I say, making sure this conversation ends.

"Fair enough, but I must say, that you do appear to be unhappy Twilight. Are you not happy? Your quest is complete and you can now return to your studies back in Canterlot." Celestia says speak to Twilight.

"That's just it, right at the point I learn where I learn how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them." Twilight replies, her eyes downcast.

"Spike, take a note please." Celestia says to Spike, who then pulls pen and parchment from nowhere. Again. I just shake my head at then sheer nonsensical nature that is cartoon logic before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"I, Princess Celestia hereby decree, that the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship, she must report to me her findings from her new home, Ponyville." With this, the others of the mane six come up and congratulate Twilight on becoming the newest resident in Ponyville, and for being able to stay with them.

"Oh , thank you Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before!" Confetti falls to the ground as all the ponies around us cheer, Luna makes her way over to us and stands at my side causing me to give her a friendly smile , which she returns.

"Truly, this is the best of days. Friendships have been forged anew and I have been restored. All thanks to the seven of you." She says speaking to us. I just rub the back of my head and chuckle enjoying the atmosphere. Twilight then steps up to me and asks me a question.

"Ranger? Are... are you really going to leave?" She asks me, sadness in her eyes. Well that was the plan, but that voice... that made me change them. Not sure if it is the right decision but... well we'll see.

"Twilight... I have been traveling across Equestria for a number of years now, and I have had little time to think of settling down somewhere permanently. But, perhaps, perhaps it is time I did. If the ponies of Ponyville are willing to have me then I would gladly become a resident here." I say which causes more cheering from all the ponies around us. I smile and laugh at their enthusiasm, it is pretty hard not to get into the spirit of things, especially when you are at the center of it.

"Yes! Oh thank you Ranger for agreeing to stay here! I hope that with time we will become even greater friends than we are now." Twilight says while hugging me. I just hug her in turn and chuckle at her response. She then breaks away from the hug and asks me another question.

"Is their anywhere you can stay for the night?" She asks.

"Not really but, given time, I will be able to build myself a place to stay and set up my own business." I say getting curious looks from both Twilight and Luna.

"What do you mean by business?" Luna asks me.

"I mean to open up a black smithy here in Ponyville." I say, a smile upon my scared face.

A/N

WOW!

This took _so_ long to write!

I had to rewrite it so many times! I just could not seem to get it right, for there was always something that got on my nerves about it that made me feel like it didn't belong.

But finally, at long last, I am, DONE!

I really hope you all like this chapter, I am really sorry for how long it took to write up but, as mentioned... yeah.

Now believe me when that voice is telling you guys the truth. I am planning something huge for this one guy. A sort of chronicles of his various adventure across various fandoms. Hell, I am already planning which one to send him to first. I am even thinking that I will have this story turn into and bloody large epic tale that will span years, and spread across a large number of different universes for god's sake!

As for my other story, 'Rage of the Feral', I am going to complete that alongside this story. But I will take some creative license with both when and where I have to, in order to make the story progress.

As before, I really hope you enjoy this latest chapter and hope that you can give me your honest opinion of it and review it when you can. I love any and all forms of critique so long as it is professional in regards to spelling, pacing, storytelling and the like. If there are bits you feel should be improved upon, then feel free to says so and I will do the best I can to fix these issues.

See ya around!


	7. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the My Little Pony Friendship is magic franchise, I only own the story and the OC that I created._

* * *

 **Chapter 6.**

It has been a few days since I decided to open a smithy in Ponyville and I have to say that I am making some great progress in that direction; one of the biggest factors contributing to that is the fact that for whatever reason, my actual house and detached smithy were _in my bag_!? How!? I know for real and for true that my home should not be here, and good god did I have to make up some serious buuu, bubuu bbuubuulll...grr. Some serious lies on the spot.

That was quite the experience let me tell you; once I discovered that little tidbit of information I was subjected to niceness. Pure niceness. What more can be said? Well..actually I can still say more on that and I will; Twilight was kind enough to offer me a place to stay at the library until I can get planning permission as well as find a suitable location for my new home and business. The others were just as willing to let me stay, with the exception of Rainbow Dash as she lives in a cloud house, because such a thing is physically impossible for an earth pony to do but thanks for the offer anyway RD.

At any rate I just need to speak to Madam Mayor and see what it is I need to do in order to set up both my house and my work space in town. Other than that...well... I'll just wing it; see what happens and adapt as the situation demands. That's for another day because right now, I am enjoying Twilight Sparkles hospitality which I mentioned previously, though I am still waiting for that voice, whoever or whatever it belongs to, to turn up and start patronising me. Again. But nope! It hasn't shown up since its last visit and I am in need of venting my rage and frustration on something verbally or physically I don't care! I just...!

"Gah!" I shout as I walk straight into a wall.

"Ranger! Are you alright?" A feminine voice calls out. I just turn, my face perfectly deadpan.

"... _I decided to get personally acquainted with a wall. Obviously it refused my advances._." The sarcasm positively drips from every word, it was that bad.

"Nopony likes sarcasm Ranger." The voice says. A little sarcastic in return.

"Don't preach what you can't practice Twilight." I say as I rub my sore nose... You know, that would normally have been snout or muzzle or whatever but for some reason the normal laws of 'Equestrian Verbiage' seem to slip up at random times. Can't believe that it took up till now for to to finally realise that.

Twilight just smirks and walks off to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the three of us, I had offered to do the cooking on numerous occasions as I felt that I had to repay her for this generosity, but she said that it was the least she could do as thanks for helping to restore Princess Luna back to normal. Much as I am loathe to just let this happen I am left with little choice for now at least. But I have to admit that I adapted to Equestrian Pony dietary requirements faster than I expected, though it would be rather hypocritical of to to refuse to eat flowers despite having already eaten many different types from back home. I have to say though; Twilight makes a mean Rose and Hay sandwich.

Nevertheless I will continue to help her and her friends as well as I can and as often as I can, I just hope that my own task can be kept from the public eye. I don't want to see these ponies end up fighting a war that they may be incapable of combating, no matter what they say I cannot in good conscience let them take part in what is essentially my task. I will take care of this even if I have to kill time and time again. Good God, ever since I came here my thoughts have become rather morbid haven't they?

 ***Knock knock knock***

I am drawn from my thoughts as I hear some pony knocking on the front door. Huh. This is something I have yet to encounter, a possible customer in the Ponyville Library, what a surprise. No really, as far as I can remember I cannot remember any customer beyond some of the main cast or some side characters, so how on earth is Twilight actually earning her keep while working in this library?! Does anyone know that answer to that?!

No matter, there is some pony at the front door here hopefully for some business, otherwise I feel that I have to call Twilight upon her questionable source of funds. So thinking I move to the door to see who it is. Upon reaching it I then open it with my hooves (don't question it) to reveal Applejack. Well, I wonder why she is here? It can't be anything related to farming as she is an earth pony whose family line is based upon working a farm, eh whatever, lets see what she wants first.

"Howdy Ranger, is Twilight in?" She asks.

"Yea, she is currently in the kitchen prepping breakfast. You want to step inside while you wait?" I ask out of politeness.

"Thanks fer the offer an all but I don' want to intrude-" She starts to speak before getting interrupted by, guess who.

"Applejack, a pleasure to see you this morning." Yep. I step aside as she walks up to the door, a smile on her face.

"Morning Twilight. I'm sorry for interrupting you just before breakfast, but I would like to ask you to help me with somethin' when ya have the time." Applejack replies.

"Well, I'm free for the day, so what do you need?" Twilight asks.

"Well, I would like an extra pair of hooves to help me buck some apples this morning once your done with breakfast; it's gotta be done before lunchtime and an extra pair of hooves will make it possible." Applejack replies.

"I can do that. Ranger?" I look to Twilight. "Do you think that you can look after the library till then?" A smile immediately adorns my face as I now have a chance top pay her back for her kindness.

"No problem. And don't worry about a thing, despite my being a blacksmith I do happen to know my way around a library and can keep it under wraps till then." I reply happily.

"Thank you for that." She says smiling before turning to Applejack. "I'll see you at the farm in about an hour then?"

"Sounds good, but best make sure that you eat yer fill, it can be might tiring work." Applejack warns her.

"Thanks for the advice. See you then." Twilight responds. Applejack nods then turns to leave, once she is a distance away Twilight then closes the door and starts walking back to the kitchen with me following. I feel that this is a familiar set up for something but I can't quite...?

"Ranger?" Blinking I focus on Twilight as she speaks to me. "What's wrong?" Eh?

"What?" I say dumbly.

"Well, you looked like you were trying to remember something just now, and it looked like it was troubling you." Oh.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Just wondering if **everything** within my home is actually there." A quick lie, but still very truthful. As of yet I have not actually walked into my home and am uncertain as to whether or not things have been changed to accommodate Equestrian laws and all that, and I want to know what happened to all of the various electric devices therein.

Well...that'll have to wait until I have my home and work space up and running.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Spike says drawing my attention to him...? When did he get there? I look at him confused. "What?" He asks me.

"Well, forgive me for asking but...when did you get there?" Don't judge. I have to know.

"Wow, you must really be out of it if you didn't see me despite me being in front of you this whole time." I don't even...

"Ranger?" I look to Twilight to see her concerned face and try to think on the fly. Um...got it.

"Guys, my concern regarding the state of my home and work space is founded on whether or not everything of mine is still there. And you should also consider the fact that I left my home and possessions some years back, only to find them within my bag, which I left behind as well I might add, inside the treasure vault of the Canterlot Royal Family. And then you add the fact that it was in there since both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were both **foals** at the time of its discovery; that's...who knows how many years in the past might I add! How the heck does that even work!?" I speak all of my frustrations with regards to this stinking enigma that is in the fore thoughts of my mind.

"I'm...not quite sure but it is telling that **your** items and home specifically were targeted for this spell. Other than that I can't really think of any other reason for it to have been sent back for. Nor do I have any idea as to **who** may have been the one to have sent it back in time, as I don't know if there are any ponies out there today who know how to use a time travelling spell of such calibre." She says a little saddened. Still, this may help give her something to study in her down time.

"Thanks for that Twilight. It helps a little, but you have to admit that it does sound like good research material." I say a knowing smirk on my face, and it only gets worse as I see her perk up at the chance to do some real in depth research.

"You're right! That is something for me to look forward to once I finish helping Applejack gather some apples." She moves off to eat her breakfast while saying that.

Hehe. She is so adorable. I just move into the kitchen and sit down at the table to eat my own breakfast and plan out the next two to three hours; leaving most of the time for the reordering of the books on the shelves for when Twilight is here as I don't want to put a book out of place according to her own layout. I mean that would be beyond rude of me to do so as a guest here. Still, it won't hurt to give the library a run through to see how far she has to go when it comes to sorting out the shelving order, and might as well do some dusting of said shelves while I'm at it since Spike will be going with her.

Seeing Twilight finish her little breakfast, she puts the dishes in the sink for later and begins to head out but not before Spike finishes his own breakfast and joins her. I don't think I have been this relaxed in years. Well, apart from the times where I made both my bag and Sternguard, but this situation... Oh. Now I remember. This is the third episode from Season One of the show isn't it? So then...I look at the now closed door, smirk and shake my head all before I halt and start to think.

I know that I have already started to changes events here by simply existing here and interacting with the Mane Six, but should I involve myself in **all** of the events? or should I only do so for some of them? Ideally I would like to involve myself in as many of them as I can, but with this Entity that I have to combat that just won't be possible; more like impossible once you think about it, but that's semantics really. But since I know how this one will turn out I should probably...maybe? But what do I do when Gilda the Griffon turns up? Or the dragon? The Ursa Minor? And all of the other situations?

I was lucky that what I did helped Princess Luna come back peacefully didn't affect how Twilight and the girls found out that they represented the Elements of Harmony in a spiritual sense, but if I had interfered too much and made them not realise their importance...well shiii-sh-sh-shiiii-shiiiii...shoot. This may just complicate matters a fair deal. Or maybe not now that I think of it, I don't have to be there for every single event or problem, the girls handled all of them with some outside help but **I** myself don't have to be involved in every process. Still, if I'm around I should see if there is a way for me to help, but still leave it clear for the girls to learn a lesson about friendship; all I gotta do is observe and see how things flow with me in the mix before making any sort of action.

But enough of that, I'll improvise for the most part but as of this moment-Nuts! I completely forgot that I lied about my origins! So thinking I face p-p-p-p...hoof myself and groan at my stupidity, why you might ask? Discord and Celestia that's how. If any pony in Equestria will figure it out then it will be those two. Well...maybe just Discord. I have read a few fanfics where he did this to great effect and in a few of them Celestia didn't give off a hint of suspicion as to the actual history of the human turned pony that now lives in Equestria. Not sure how to feel about that. Whatever. Discord will, through my lies, pull out one of the oldest and my most hated plot device in any sort of story or film, 'The Liar Reveal scene'. Good god I hate that shtick. And do you know what is worst about it? I set myself up for it of my own volition!

Face-hoof.

 ***Thud***

...ow...

I deserved that.

Rubbing my sore head, I get to dusting the shelves from the top down and just let myself go thinking about all of the episode up to season six and wonder as to where it will all go down with this Entity. God above I could have done with just living in this world without swearing and a lot of other things, but the Entity thing just piiipipipiii...gets on my nerves. Why did I have to be the one to come here and not someone else? Seriously, I am not the only one from my world who loves My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic, nor am I the strongest fighter from there, nor the most stealthy, most social, cunning, fast or anything! I am just fudging average in comparison to who knows how many others who could probably do better than I ever could, but I fell for that Goddesses words hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of Angling Times!

The only thing I have going for me is that I am **the** best blacksmith from my world, and then couple the fact that I am a living Human sponge of pain, in a similar vein as Obi-wan Kenobi. Wait, how can I say Human now? Oh wait, I already addressed this earlier, forget that, focus on the cleaning until quarter to midday, then I can close up shop and-wait! Fluttershy and her animal friends will be coming in here to clean up to try and get the ticket won't she!?

Face-hoof. Hard.

 ***Thud***

... **ow**...

Oh god, that hurts. Memo to self...exercise caution when facehoofing. Whatever, cleaning can come after the ticket fiasco has been sorted out; and hopefully I don't get given one. Christ, but I don't want to endure another one of those posh parties again. Seriously, the first one was nothing like I imagined it was and none of the others after that ever changed my opinion on them, if anything they brought only more disdain for them and other parties in general. I have only ever enjoyed a few parties when it was just me and my friends from home, I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to enjoy the parties here as they don't feel like something that I may enjoy; couple this with my poor luck with other parties and...well...I just gave up on going to any parties that come from certain quarters.

"Um, excuse me?" A feminine voice calls out. Wait I recognise that voice. I turn to confirm my suspicions and what do you know? I was right. Fluttershy is right there with her pet rabbit, Angel Bunny if I remember correctly.

"Hello Fluttershy, is there something that I can do for you?" I ask her politely.

"Oh, hello Ranger. I was wondering if Twilight was here as I wanted to ask her something." She replied.

"Sorry to disappoint but she left not twenty minutes ago to go help Applejack over at Sweet Apples Acres."

"Oh, well...thank you for telling me, I'll just be on my way then." She turns to leave but I stop her.

"Would you like me to tell Twilight that you popped on by for something?" I ask her.

"Um...yes please." She says before continuing on her way.

"See ya 'round then." I say before closing the door and turn to look at the Library once more.

"Well, best take pencil and paper and write down as much as I can remember." So saying, I begin to look around for said items for said task.

I wonder what else I am forgetting? Ah well, I'm sure that it will turn up in due course. Maybe I should tell Twilight, Spike, the girls and both Princesses Celestia and Luna soon, so as to avoid that situation? Yes, the more I think about it the better that idea sounds, and to top it all off I will be able to see Luna again as I said I would; but will Twilight and the others be willing to listen to me explain? And should I tell them about the show? Answer to the last part is...uncertain to say the least. As much as I want to tell them about it, I don't really want them to think that just because of a show that humans had created, showcasing their adventures and all of their triumphs, that they are invincible. That kind of thought process leads to an early grave, and sadly I can see Rainbow Dash falling into that category due to her overly large ego.

Making a discontent face, I start to pace across the floor of the library to try and think of some sort of solution to the immediate problem as to how I will reveal the truth behind me **and** my real reason for being here.

( **Feel free to tell them everything then** ) Who the-!? You again!

( ** _My Little Pony_ , you should calm down before you burst a blood vessel**) Ooh! You sarcastic mugger you.

( **Please calm down. I am here to deliver a simple message after all** ) Really? Very well, what is this message then, _oh so wise_ voice within my head?

( **Sarcasm. Love it, but seriously it doesn't matter when you tell them but it would obviously be more advantageous for you to do it before Discord shows up. Though that would be more entertaining if you left it till after he turns up** )...Excuse me?

( **Oh, pay me no mind. Ciao for now.** ) HEY! I ain't done with you yet! COME BACK HERE!

...

...

...Son of a...

Female.

Dog.

I really hate you, you know that right? Bah. Obviously I know that it would be far more advantageous for me to tell them all before Discord show up, but **when** should I do so is the real question here. I have plenty of time before the gala in season one to decide but I should make a decision after the events of today, just to be safe mind you; I might be asked to attend after all though I **really** don't want to go, but that is just me grousing so...there we go. Regardless, I have say...ten episodes with which to make my choice on when I should tell, at the very least, the Mane Six and then I shall worry about getting an audience with the two Princesses and also convey my story to them afterwards. OK, plan of action set, now it is just a waiting game.

...

...

Yeah. Got nothing to do, unless, by some extraordinary stroke of luck, a customer comes walking through that door. I turn to look at said door...nothing. Cartoon logic fails me, and yet I am honestly surprised because Fluttershy did turn up some ten minutes ago for a little something, and did leave promptly once her objective was left unfulfilled though I did enjoy the brief real world problems rather than the mindless, endless monotony of mental exercise.

...Oh wait, I was about to start writing down what I remember of all the 'My Little Pony FIM' episodes as best as I can before that darn voice turned up, so I'd best get cracking. Walking over to the stand, I gather up all of the things I will need and start jotting down all that I can remember...with my mouth...*sigh* I honestly don't know how the ponies of Equestria can stand it. The constant taste of rubber or wood in their mouth as they write letters, essays or even their own name must be annoying as anything I can think of, or do they just get so used to it that it just tastes like nothing to them due to conditioning?

Eh, it's not important. I just run my memory from start to finish losing all sense of time, only to look up to see that it was only ten minutes to midday and that it was pretty much lunchtime. I glance upon the paper bellow me and see that I have jotted down both season one and two down leaving the last four seasons to go, not bad for a first go: after putting the pencil and excess paper away I then roll up the paper and put it away into my bag for safe keeping. When in doubt, use the Infinity Bag for all your security worries.

With that out of the way, it is now time for me to close up shop and go fetch myself something to eat, but where to go is the question? Should I just stay in or do I go out and find a little cafe or restaurant to eat at? Eh, I'll just go out for a bite and see how the culinary skills of other ponies stands up to Twilight's own skills in the art, not just that but maybe I can see Twilight and Spike before they get into their friendship scuffle over those tickets. Though I will make it **very** clear on my stance on them before she thinks otherwise.

Walking outside, I just take a look around town to see what there is to see and aha! Twilight and Spike walking off with the former looking troubled, must have met all of her friends and seen how they acted with regards to the tickets that she has. Well, let's see if there is anything I can do here.

"Twilight? Is something wrong?" I ask coming up to them.

"Ranger? I...well...do you mind if we go over to the cafe over there first? I could really do with something to eat." She asks looking pleadingly at me, and who am I to deny a lady her wish. I small smile on my face I nod and escort her over to the cafe she indicated, and like a proper gentlemmm...gentlecolt I hold her chair out so that she can get seated first before taking my own.

"So, what has got you so concerned?" I ask once we were all comfortable.

"Where do I even start?" Was all that came out of Twilights mouth.

"Well, for now a simple summary of events up till this point." As much as I do like talking to her, I would like to save some time and get the short version of events because I already know what has happened.

" Alright, well, it all started over at Applejacks' farm where she and I where bucking some apples for a bet she made between herself and her brother, where the loser had to walk down Syrup Street in one of Granny Smiths girdles." She lets loose a small chuckle which I smile at and nod at her for her to continue.

She then gives me a full account of everything that happened upto the present moment, and all this before giving off a heavy sigh as the pressure that her friends unknowingly placed upon her back begins to get to her. With her chin resting on the tabletop in a show of resignation at how hopeless her situation is, she sighs before raising her eyes to both Spike and Myself.

"Guys, what am I going to do? All five of my best friends have good reasons for going to the Gala; Applejack or Rainbow Dash? Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy? Rarity? Ooh, who should go with me?" She says looking positively miserable, with her head laying on the tabletop. All this before her stomach shows its own displeasure, and in an attempt at appeasement, she eats the flower petals that she plucked off.

All I can do is smile in amusement at her adorable expression as the waiter; a male earth pony with a pale cream coat, a two-tone blue mane and tail slicked back in a neat and proper manner befitting his workplace, brown eyes and with his cutie mark being a serving dish with a silver cover, walks up to our table to collect our orders and just as he is about to ask us the question I hold up one hoof and clear my throat.

"Ahem. Uh, Twilight? The waiter is here." I say drawing her attention from the problem at hoof.

"Oh, well I would love a daffodil and daisy sandwich." She says to the waiter who then turns to me.

"Hmm...any recommendations?" I ask him.

"Indeed sir. The recommendations are a Carrot Cake with some Jasmine Tea or a Lotus Blossom Salad with Earl Grey Tea." The waiter replies with professional courtesy. I find this a relatively simple decision to make.

"In that case I shall go with the Lotus Blossom Salad and a cup Earl Grey if you please good sir." I say towards him to which he nods in acknowledgement.

"Do you have any rubies?" Asks Spike. But all he gets is a deadpan stare form the waiter. "No? OK, I'll have the Hay fries. **Extra crispy**." He says tossing away the menu...I cuff him on the back of his head for that.

"Ow! Hey! What was that for?!" Spike says offended at my actions; and it seems that Twilight shares his disapproval of my action.

"I have to admit Ranger that that was uncalled for." She says sternly. I stare right back at her before giving my reasons for my actions.

"I did what I did because young Spike here tossed away the menu after giving his order to the waiter here; this action I found to be quite rude to the staff member here and so I showed my disapproval with a light cuff to the back of his head." A light punishment indeed.

"Wait a-Spike! Did you really just throw away the menu like that?" She asks in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah?" Spike replies nervously.

"...Just don't do it again ok?" She asks of him, to which he nods. And this little diversion ends up back to her asking-"What do you think guys?"

"I think we have to try another restaurant. I mean I like grass just fine, but would it hurt anybody to offer some gemstone?" Replies Spike, completely forgetting about my gripe with his manners.

"I think she was referring to the Gala tickets she has in her possession and as to who she should take to said Gala." I say, pointing out the obvious to him.

"Oh, she's still on that?" Comes his disgruntled reply while facehoofing himself.

"Spike listen!" She exclaims, hoofs on the table and getting right in his face. "How do I chose? And when I do chose, will the other four be mad at me? I mean I could give away my ticket and give away two, but that would still leave three disappointed ponies."

You know...? When I first saw this episode and saw this bit, and saw the three ponies she thought would be left out and how saddened they'd be...well...I didn't know what to think. I can only assume that at the time she must have thought of these three as being lower on the friendship ladder than Applejack and Fluttershy. Hence their faces being seen when talked about giving her ticket away as well.

"What if I-!" Her thought process is interrupted by the waiters return.

"Ahh, your food." He says placing our orders on the table. Heh. Now that's what I call good service.

"Thank you for the speedy service sir." I say in response, which Twilight soo reciprocates.

"Oh thank you! This looks so good!" Her voice positively dripping with hunger. "I'm sure that everything will be much clearer once I eat." I nod at that and just as we are about to tuck in, a large herd of ponies gallop on by stopping us cold.

"Uh, Sir? Madame? Or you going to eat your food in the rain?" The waiter asks us holding the door open. Wait, raining? Oh right.

"It's not raining." Twilight says looking outward only to see a veritable blanket of water cascading from the sky.

"Whats going on?" She says looking at us.

"Three guesses." I say looking up at a very familiar blue pegasus.

"Hi there best friend forever I've ever ever had. Enjoying the sunny weather?" Rainbow Dash shouts out from on high, causing Twilight to scowl at her with myself eating my salad and drinking my Earl Grey tea before the rain covers us and ruining our meal.

" **Rainbow Dash** ,what are you doing?" Twilight...strains. I honestly wonder how these two became friends in such a short amount of time other than being just one of the six Elements of Harmony? Thoughts for another time really.

"What do you mean? I just saw the most smartest, most generous pony about to get rained on, so I thought I'd just kick a hole in the clouds so that she could dine in peace. That's all." I eat and drink a little faster, feeling quite a bit miffed as I am unable to fully enjoy my Earl Grey Tea.

"Rainbow, you're not trying to get **extra** consideration for the **extra** ticket by doing any **extra** special favours, are you?" Twilight says dragging out the last word. Hmm. This salad isn't half bad actually. Oh wait a minute!

"Sorry to interrupt Twilight but do you have the money on hoof to pay for this meal would you?" She looks at me and simply nods. "Well would it be alright if I held onto it so that you might find somewhere dry?"

"What?" She says looking all confused.

"Gut feeling tells me that your day is not going to get any better, so I would like to pay for this when the next distraction turns up." She nods once again with a peculiar look on her face, and she pulls the bit completely out of nowhere so that I could pay for the meal. I then glance at her sandwich and feel as though I should do something for her.

"One last thing Twilight, would you like me to see if I can get a container for your sandwich?"

"Your gut feeling again?" She asks.

"Pretty much yeah." I reply, honestly the show tells me what will happen here but I have to ask.

"Thank you for the offer but it won't be necessary." She says. I can only offer a small smile and a nod and let things happen...and keep my mouth shut when they do.

"Now, where was I?" I just look up at an oddly patient Rainbow Dash. "Oh, thank you."

And I just tune out the rest of the conversation and just wait for the inevitable rainfall which comes...now.

...

...I wipe my mane out of my eyes so that I can see better and well; one unhappy Twilight and one very happy Spike, and one dry Rarity. And there they all go. I look at the crockery and decide to bring it all in with me alongside the money for the food, just where that even came from as I never saw it on the table I don't know, I'm just going to go with it as it will save me a headache later. Hm, I wonder if this is enough to by her another sandwich to go? I'll see after I bring all of this back to the counter. Laying eyes on the waiter, I walk over to him balancing all of the plates on one, er, hoof? I call out to him.

"Sorry about my friend running off as she did, but how much for the food we ordered?" I ask as he takes the plates from me and hands them off to one of the ponies working in the kitchen before giving me his full attention.

"No problem sir, and the total comes to...twenty bits." At that I check what I have and see that I (somehow) hold thirty bits, so I hand over the correct amount and after he has registered it I pop my question.

"Is it possible to order something to go?" He nods and I ask for another daffodil and daisy sandwich due to it becoming inedible due to the sudden downpour. Again he nods and tells me to wait for a few minutes while it is being prepared as well as a plastic container to protect it from the rain. I thank him and just wait for my order, taking in the sight that is a rather quaint and comfortable cafe; I think I shall be coming here from time to time during my breaks.

"Here is your order sir, and a container to protect it from the rain." The waiter speaks up while placing my order on the counter, which I nod at.

"And how much for this?" I reply.

"Five bits sir." At his response I nod and hand over the change and collect my package, making a mental note to pay Twilight back for this extra expense.

Turning away I leave the cafe and go out into the wet world and start to look for Twilight, not really knowing where she will be as of right now but I do know that she will be immediately met by Applejack and her loaded food cart after leaving Rarity's house so it would be best that I met her on the way to the library. But then again...I may just have to wait until she and the rest of the Mane Six have their little heart to heart before I give her the food as by that point she would be beyond famished; especially after you consider how much running around she will be doing once Pinkie shows up.

Plan of action decided I make for the library to wait for the right moment, maybe offer some small words of advice but nothing too blatant as it is something they must learn properly. *Sigh*. What a precarious balancing act this is going to be; between my mission, the various interactions and making sure I don't interfere too much is really going to tax my mental ability.

...

...

"Uh, Ranger? What are you doing." A voice calls out.

With a shake of my head I stop daydreaming, or singing or whatever it was that I was doing and focus on who was talking to me. And lo and behold, Twilight Sparkle. The pony I was hoping to meet...though earlier than I expected.

"Hey Twilight. Uh, what was I just doing?" I ask with a degree of apprehension.

"Well, you were humming some sort of tune that I didn't recognise, so would you care to share?" Was her response.

"Eh, nothing much. Just a random tune I have rolling in my head from time to time so don't go worrying your pretty little head about it." At this, she blushes, yet not to the extent that she did these last few days. Thank you God for small mercies as now I don't have to question why she blushed with such frequency.

"Oh. Ok, uh...could you walk with me for a bit? At least until the Library?" I can see that she is stressed out from the favours being done for her due to the tickets in her possession but knowing how the episode ends, it doesn't really phase me as much as it would someone who doesn't know the show. Tangent aside, I nod and walk beside on the way to our destination.

On the way, I ask what happened to her after she went off with Rarity and she proceeds tells me everything, from Rarity's matching outfits to her hunger pandering being played to by Applejack; which only served to increase the level of anxiety that she felt towards her present situation. Every word, every sentence uttered carried the weight of the decision before her and due to all of these circumstances; she is left unable to use common sense as seen in the show where she ends up returning the tickets and gets given one for each of her friends and one for spike too now that I think about it...wait. Would that include me? I blooming well hope not, cause I hate going to parties! This line of thought is interrupted once we arrive back at the library.

"Ugh! I never knew that being showered in so many favors could be so aggravating!" She fumed just as we reached the door.

"It's not over yet I fear." I reply knowingly, which causes her to look at me in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well...we haven't seen Fluttershy or Pinkie yet, and with what little I know of the two of them I can only tell you that when you do see them; it's going to be quiet and blunt then before you know it, very loud, bombastic...and blunt." The last bit I say with an amused smirk on my face.

"Perhaps your right, but I could really do with some peace and-!" Once she opens the door we are presented with Fluttershy vocalising the shows theme tune, with many of her animal friends cleaning up the library, and doing a mighty fine job of it too, saving me and Spike a fair bit of hassle.

"Fluttershy, not you too?" So sad looking, yet still cute. I just shake my head and chuckle and just let things happen.

"Oh, hello Twilight, hello Ranger. I hope you don't mind but we are all doing a little spring cleaning for you." Such an honest little pony right there. Right?

"It's summer." Yep. Twilight is not amused, and here I am enjoying every minute of it.

"Oh, well, better late than never right?" Fluttershy replies almost completely embarrassed judging by the blush on her cheeks. I had to say something though.

"So this is why you wanted to speak to Twilight this morning." I say, acting surprised.

""Huh?"" The two mares reply.

"Sorry Twilight, but it completely slipped my mind that Fluttershy here came by this morning wanting to talk to you. I didn't know that she wanted to ask if she could help clean the library though." A little something different to see if Fluttershy plays honestly or if she'll use it to her advantage.

"Uh, well, that is not exactly true." Predictably she tells the truth. Why bother doubting her?

"Oh, well, what did you come by for then?" Twilight asks her.

"Uh...sorry, but I can't quite remember what it was I came by this morning for." Shame that. I was curious about what she came by for so...eh, another time perhaps. Honestly, I should just leave Twilight to handle the coming carnage and enjoy the show when she eventually escapes the mob.

"Fair enough. Twilight, I'll put your sandwich in the fridge for when you are ready to eat it, if that's alright with you?" I ask moving towards the kitchen.

"Thank you Ranger, if things don't take to long I should be eating in but a few minutes." She answers gratefully.

I nod and plod along my merry way leaving Twilight to handle Fluttershy and her merry band of animals, especially that...ahem...well, I would say what I _really_ want to say but, since I am unable to say certain words, I'll just have to be inventive from this point onward. But really, I honestly don't like her pet rabbit, the poorly named _'Angel Bunny'_. I would never have put up with it anywhere near the length of time she has, as I would have turned it into soup, due to how much of a pain in the rump it appears to be in the show. I can actually remember my friends and I arguing over my distaste for that rabbit and darn near every time I saw it in the show, with said arguments usually ending up with us all spending some time explaining to the authorities why there was so much property damage. Fun times indeed.

Closing the fridge door with a nostalgic smile on my face, it is then wiped off with a very loud noise coming from the front door and knowing exactly what is going on I plod on over so as to miss the song and to catch the last of it. After coming to the door and looking outside I am met with a crowd of mares surrounding Twilight, clamouring for the chance at the extra ticket she has by offering her a favour or by compliment and what have you. I also finally realise just how many mares there seem to be in Equestria, or rather the lack of stallions outside the army which from what I remember seems to be almost exclusively made of stallions.

This leaves me with a metric tonne of questions to ponder about with regards to the exact ratio between the two sexes in Equestria, as well as how they actually handle the relationships should there be a large disparity between the two should there be one. But from what little I remember...there may be a three or four to one ratio of mares to stallions, but this is just conjecture on my part. And without concrete evidence to support it, I will have to leave these thoughts as nothing more than theory and what have you.

"...RUUUUN!" And there she goes with the crowd in hot pursuit. I let loose a small laugh at her expense but, eh, sue me.

"Um, uh, Ranger?" Oh right.

"Yes Fluttershy?" I say as I move back inside the library proper after closing the door. Only for it to open again as Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash walk inside talking about, presumably the ticket.

"Are you um, after the ticket just as we all are?" Blunt question which seems to have caught everyone else's attention, and just before I answer...

"Yeah. You seem to be hanging **pretty** close to Twilight today, and you just so happen to be acting all nice with her. You are proving to be dangerous competition Ranger." Rainbow says flying close and staring me in the eye. Which the other girls seem to realise as well, leaving me with a bit of a problem. I don't want to go to the gala period. And right now they don't want to believe me. Clearing my throat roughly puts a alt to their accusations so that I might speak in my defence.

"Ladies, I have no intention on going to the Grand Galloping Gala."This shuts them up and so I move to the shelves and just browse for a book to pass the time.

""What?"" Five voices sound out in confusion. I turn towards them and speak clearly and concisely so that they cannot misinterpret my words.

" **I. Don't. Want. To. Go. To. The. Gala. Period.** " That cannot be misheard nor misinterpreted by anyone but the most dillusinal of individuals.

"Wha-but, but-but **everypony** wants to go to the Gala!?" Rarity calls out utterly stunned by my response, yet I cannot blame her nor any of the others as it must be unheard of for anypony to not have dreams of going to the gala at least once in their lives.

"Heavens to betsy, how can you not want to go?" Applejack asks in the same tone, and upon looking at everypony present I see that they are all shocked by my statement.

"Well, not everypony out there wants to go, and I am amongst that number. The same goes for parties in general really as I find that...I just really can't stand them anymore and have become, I'm sorry Pinkie, a Party Pooper." The last part causes a horrified gasp to escape from Pinkie, and for her to faint.

"The was a bit extreme don't you think?" I ask her...she is non responsive. Should I perform CPR?

"Well, it is Pinkie so this is kinda how she would respond to actually meeting an actual Party Pooper." Says Rainbow Dash looking at the unconscious form of Pinkie.

"Well if you are not after the ticket, then why were you hanging around Twilight so much today?" Are the really asking that?

"First off, I was out on break after doing some cleaning in the library, and secondly it was mainly to give her an ear to vent her frustrations to about the tickets she was given, and the subsequent infighting amongst her friends that happened soon after. Have none of you even thought about how she must feel about this?" They avoid meeting my eyes, including Pinkie who woke up shortly after I started speaking.

"Really? None of you?" I sigh and shake my head at their thoughtlessness, but considering that there is a lesson to be learned here I cannot say too much other than I already have, yet this should be enough to put their heads on straight. Even though they would have sorted themselves out after Twilight's outburst upon her arrival back here.

"Look, just take some time to think on how she must feel having **two** tickets to the Gala and having **five** friends who want to go. Maybe you'll see why she has been so frustrated with everything you have all been doing today." So saying I busy myself in the kitchen by preparing some tea for the others and basically just waiting for Twilight and Spike to turn up.

The two in question pop up in a flash, completely confused and disoriented after the sun went down and the moon rose up...I need to free up some time in the coming month to see if I can visit Luna. I know I have to situate myself and my business here but I said I would visit her, and I haven't done so yet. I watch as both Twilight and Spike run around the library closing all doors and windows and turning of all lights, before collapsing on the floor feeling safe; I hated to burst their bubble so I kept quiet and let the other five do that for me. I didn't appreciate the loud scream at their presence in her home however.

"I can't decide, I just can't decide! It's important to all of you and I just can't to disappoint any of you and giving me gifts and doing me favours won't make any difference, because you are all my friends and I want to make you all happy and I can't! I just can't!" And there is her breakdown. Seeing it in person...I felt like crap.

"Twilight sugar. I-I didn't mean to put so much pressure on you, and if it helps, I don't want the ticket any more. You can give it to somepony else. I won't feel bad I promise." Applejack coming forward being all honest about how she regrets how she acted up till now.

One by one they all come forward and express their own heartfelt feelings about their own regret for putting all this pressure on her and say that they too, don't want the ticket any more, with the exception of Rainbow Dash who acted as she did in the show. At least she's being honest. But again, they all come together as friends to cheer Twilight up with Spike and myself hanging back letting the magic happen ending up with her sending a note detailing the lesson she learned whilst sending the two tickets back as well. This amazed her friends upon hearing her reason behind her action, though I admit that I only paid partial attention as I watched as Spike seemed to want to puke up a kidney with how bad he looked. Though I knew why he looked like that.

"Well, wallop my withers Spike! Ain't that just like a boy, can't handle the least bit of sent-whoa nelly!" That'll teach ya, I couldn't help but think smugly as she almost gets a face full of dragons fire. This heralds the arrival of a certain note with seven tickets to the GGG with all of them running outside in the dark to do only they know what.

I shrug at that and just go to my room, making sure to write a few notes down to remind me that I need to see Madame Mayor in the next few days to speak about the specifics behind setting up home and business in her town. Walking up to the bed I have been staying in I get under the covers and drift off to sleep.

...

...

"Did I say crap?"

* * *

A/N

Finally done. Took me long enough, but eh.

Hope you enjoy this chapter after so long, but don't worry, I'll be working on the next one in the next few months.

See ya around!


	8. Important

Important announcement.

I am rewriting this story due to the pure fact that after rereading many times, it does not feel like something that I would write.

While I do like a good romance this one was touching on a number of cliches that was ruining it for me, and couple this with the fact that my OC was **way** too much of a John Doe with too few flaws that I didn't feel like writing it anymore. And so I plan to rewrite the story having it run a different direction than the one I was taking it in.

The skinny of my new revamped story is that, surprise, it's a human being transported to the My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic niverse. This human will become a pony yes, and he will be a blacksmith but he won't have a magic satchel or something like that, and his combative skill will not ly in the use of weapons but rather his fists.

Why fists? Anthro ponies of course.

I know. Very few people will like the story due to that detail and few more will like the fact that I am getting rid of this one and starting afresh, and I am sorry for that, but this story just wasn't going anywhere no matter how I tried to write it.

Again I am sorry for having to do this but I hope that the rewrite will meet some people's expectations.


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